Unwanted Duties
by CM03
Summary: Lily Evans is a dream in James Potter's eyes. James Potter is a total disaster in Lily Evans eyes. Will things change when they both HAVE to get together? LJHateLove
1. James Sees The Light

A/N- Yo yo!!! This is my first fic ever and I was really scared about putting it on fanfiction.net, so yeah I know that's retarded but hey at least im truthful! Im so great im so great im so great!!!!!!!!! **Leaps around the room singing the delightful barney song**.............. anyway...just go easy on me!  
  
It's a REALLY short chappie and it's sorta a prologue so bear with me, pweeze!  
  
Here goes:  
  
" No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and NO!!!" screamed a very irritated Lily Evans.  
  
" Why not? Come on! He IS nice, and not to mention cute." Audrey Trical pleaded while sitting down on a red couch in the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Ha ha, Potter? Nice? Yeah, right! Only when he's talking to his fat arse," snorted Lily. " There is no WAY that I'm tutoring that-that-ACHOO!!!" Lily sneezed all of a sudden. She sneezed again and managed to get out, "POTTER!!!" before resuming sneezing. (A/N- whoa I use that word a lot)  
  
James Potter grinned and walked away from the corner where him and his friends were planning a prank, no surprises.  
  
"Yes ma'am? You wanted to see my charming face, no doubt," he said politely, though Lily thought he said it stupidly.  
  
"ACHOO!!! Change-ACHOO-me-ACHOO-BACK!!!"  
  
"Sorry, no can do! It's a 5 hour spell, you see." James said happily.  
  
"I HATE YOU!!!!! Why do you have to make my life living hell!" raged Lily. She turned her heel and stomped off toward her dormitory, cursing under her breath.  
  
"You should stop doing all this to her you know. It's no way to impress her." Audrey warned, and turned around to follow Lily.  
  
James just watched her leave. How stupid could he get? That's DEFINETLY not a way to get the girl he'd had a crush on for 3 years! He sighed and put his head in his hands, silently vowing to never prank Lily again.  
  
A/N- AS I TOLD U BEFORE IT'S A SORTA KINDA PROLOGUE THINGY!! Whoa, unnecessary caps right there!! Anyway, it just gives u a (bad) idea of what this story will be about. I'll make James change don't u worry! And later on, (only if u review, that is **shakes finger in face**) I'll give it a few new characters that will add to the story. Wow, Carmel, that sounds really interesting **rolls eyes**  
  
ANYWAY PWEEZE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP UPDATE!!!!!!!!!! Yes, im screaming. Thanx peoples!!! 


	2. Payback

A/N-Ok, I updated! YAY! I only got ONE review**glares** but im very thankful anyway. So thanx to:  
  
Aniangel- thanx SOOOO much for reviewing! It does mean a lot to me, as you know. Did I update soon enough?  
  
DISCLAIMER- I forgot this last chappie and im sorry**hangs head** anyway, as you know, I do not own any of these characters, except Audrey Trical. They all belong to Jo Rowling.blah blah blah  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
The next day, James woke up to the sound of singing. It certainly wasn't a nice voice and it was scratchy. Then James realized that it was himself singing the Barney Song.  
  
"WHAT THE-?" shouted Sirius Black who had gotten out of bed with a start. "Ha ha!!! She got you good James!"  
  
Now Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were up. All of James' friends were now laughing their heads off.  
  
thought James sarcastically as he was singing, " We're all one happy family!" in his (very) bad singing voice.  
  
James heard distinct laughing coming from the other side of his dormitory's door. He quickly walked to it, wrenched it open to see a very pretty girl with mid-shoulder red hair and bright green eyes.  
  
James tried quickly to regain his cool as he always did around Lily Evans. But he failed because he was still singing.  
  
"That better teach you not to mess with me anymore! It's a 2 hour charm so don't even TRY to find the counter-spell! Toodles!" Lily said through her giggles. The she turned and ran down the corridor, her red hair flying behind her.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
At breakfast, James wasn't present. He was still singing the Barney Song in his terrible voice and didn't want to be embarrassed.  
  
In the boys' dorm, James was thinking about Lily and how she always would surprise him. All her payback pranks and well-chosen words really amazed him.  
  
All of a sudden, he stopped singing. "YEAH!!!!!!!! NO MORE BARNEY SONG!!!!!!!!!" shouted James while jumping on his bed. He quickly got his school bag ready and ran out of the door. When he was in the Entrance Hall, he started looking for his friends.  
  
He saw them all walking together and jogged up to them. Sirius said happily, "So, James, stop singing? You sorta were freaking me out!"  
  
"YEAH, I HAVE. WHY AM I SHOUTING? WHAT THE-?" James yelled, confused. He tried to lower his voice but it didn't work.  
  
"Geez, James. I think she got you again!" Remus said, trying to conceal his grin.  
  
Sirius and Peter were laughing again and attracted a lot of attention. James thought as he watched them laugh, glaring more like.  
  
Lily was laughing along with Audrey. Then the certain redhead approached them.  
  
"Seriously, Potter, you thought singing was all? I'm not THAT kind you know" Lily smirked wickedly. She and Audrey then sped off to their next class, Potions.  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-hey, there!!! If you read this chapter, can u pweeze review? Thanx, it does mean a lot to me!!!! I won't write another chappie if u don't review!!!! I'm just starting off and I need ideas and comments! SOON!!!  
  
Toodles, (and remember to review! **glares through slitted eyes**)  
  
Carmel 


	3. DO NOT READ! VERY MESSED UP!

A/N- I know that im writing short chappies, but I find it hard to make them long. Oh well, I'll try my best!  
  
Thanx to my reviewers:  
  
Aniangel- thanx for reviewing AGAIN! I know, it's really short, but I'll try my best to make them longer! Oh, and I read your really great story, "Anything for Love" and I absolutely love it! Hope you enjoy!  
  
Agloechen- yeah, I know, it's really short! But I'll try my hardest to make them longer! I read your bio, and u live in Germany? That's cool cause I live in Belgium! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: god, how many of these things are there? EVERYONE knows that the characters don't belong to me! All I own is the dumb plot and Audrey Trical!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James sighed, but it came out more loudly than he would of liked since he was still cursed. Cursed or not, at least he could think and write. So he walked around with a notebook writing notes to his friends.  
  
In his first class, Transfiguration, James kept to himself. He usually was trying to impress everyone by answering all the questions Professor McGonagall asked them and so on. But McGonagall must have noticed since she walked up to his desk and asked him the incantation for turning a pig into a desk.  
  
James desperately wanted to answer but knew if he did, he'd get detention (A/N- because he would answer WAY to loudly).  
  
He shook his head. McGonagall gaped for a second, quite taken aback. Then she regained herself, nodded and turned to Lily.  
  
"Miss Evans? Do you know the answer?" McGonagall asked.  
  
Lily, who had been busy stifling her giggles, looked up. She had no idea what the answer was and Transfiguration was her worst subject.  
  
"Um.no, Professor McGonagall. I don't." she said, looking down.  
  
"Well, then. Since you are having much trouble with this subject, I will plan a few tutor lessons with Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter, are you alright with that?" she said as she turned around to look at him.  
  
Was James all right with that? It was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time!!!! "Yes" James responded by accident. He had thought it would have come out loud, but it was his normal tone. He smiled happily. Now he could talk properly!  
  
Lily wasn't happy at all. Yeah, she was failing this subject, but she'd rather fail than be tutored by that...idiot.  
  
"And in exchange, Miss Evans shall tutor Mr. Potter in Charms, since he is equally weak in that subject. So I need to see you both after class please." McGonagall said, and turned away from Lily's gaping face.  
  
*************  
  
After class, Lily and James both walked up to McGonagall's desk and waited for her to speak.  
  
Finally she said," I think that Thursday in the Library at 7 o'clock would suit you both fine?"  
  
"Yeah, that's alright for me, because I have Quidditich practice at 4:00, anyways" James answered, glancing at Lily.  
  
Lily nodded, not looking happy at the prospect of being tutored by an idiot who was sweaty as well.  
  
"Alright then! I expect an hour of tutoring for each subject every Thursday until Professor Flitwick and I see some improvement. Any questions?" McGonagall told the pair.  
  
"No, Professor"  
  
"That's fine by me, ma'am"  
  
"Well, that's all. Bustle along there, you won't want to miss any classes." McGonagall said, as she shooed them out into the corridor.  
  
******  
  
That night, which was Wednesday, Lily sat on her bed just thinking to herself, actually, it was raging.  
  
She thought angrily.  
  
Meanwhile, James was thinking the opposite.  
  
he thought as he was, unlike Lily, sitting on the floor.  
  
*****  
  
When Thursday rolled around, Lily was getting nervous. She had no idea why but every time she saw James she got butterflies.  
  
Finally, 7 o'clock came and she set off for the Library, not knowing what was going to happen.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- YAY!!!!!! I know I know! It was short! But at least I updated! Um, can u people who have read this review? It would make me sssssoooooo happy!!!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE??????  
  
Toodles with poodles, Carmel 


	4. CH3 Lesson Planning and McGonagal

A/N- I know that im writing short chappies, but I find it hard to make them long. Oh well, I'll try my best!  
  
Thanx to my reviewers:  
  
Aniangel- thanx for reviewing AGAIN! I know, it's really short, but I'll try my best to make them longer! Oh, and I read your really great story, "Anything for Love" and I absolutely love it! Hope you enjoy!  
  
Agloechen- yeah, I know, it's really short! But I'll try my hardest to make them longer! I read your bio, and u live in Germany? That's cool cause I live in Belgium! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: god, how many of these things are there? EVERYONE knows that the characters don't belong to me! All I own is the dumb plot and Audrey Trical!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James sighed, but it came out more loudly than he would of liked since he was still cursed. Cursed or not, at least he could think and write. So he walked around with a notebook writing notes to his friends.  
  
In his first class, Transfiguration, James kept to himself. He usually was trying to impress everyone by answering all the questions Professor McGonagall asked them and so on. But McGonagall must have noticed since she walked up to his desk and asked him the incantation for turning a pig into a desk.  
  
James desperately wanted to answer but knew if he did, he'd get detention (A/N- because he would answer WAY to loudly).  
  
He shook his head. McGonagall gaped for a second, quite taken aback. Then she regained herself, nodded and turned to Lily.  
  
"Miss Evans? Do you know the answer?" McGonagall asked.  
  
Lily, who had been busy stifling her giggles, looked up. She had no idea what the answer was and Transfiguration was her worst subject.  
  
"Um.no, Professor McGonagall. I don't." she said, looking down.  
  
"Well, then. Since you are having much trouble with this subject, I will plan a few tutor lessons with Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter, are you alright with that?" she said as she turned around to look at him.  
  
Was James all right with that? It was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time!!!! "Yes" James responded by accident. He had thought it would have come out loud, but it was his normal tone. He smiled happily. Now he could talk properly!  
  
Lily wasn't happy at all. Yeah, she was failing this subject, but she'd rather fail than be tutored by that...idiot.  
  
"And in exchange, Miss Evans shall tutor Mr. Potter in Charms, since he is equally weak in that subject. So I need to see you both after class please." McGonagall said, and turned away from Lily's gaping face.  
  
*************  
  
After class, Lily and James both walked up to McGonagall's desk and waited for her to speak.  
  
Finally she said," I think that Thursday in the Library at 7 o'clock would suit you both fine?"  
  
"Yeah, that's alright for me, because I have Quidditich practice at 4:00, anyways" James answered, glancing at Lily.  
  
Lily nodded, not looking happy at the prospect of being tutored by an idiot who was sweaty as well.  
  
"Alright then! I expect an hour of tutoring for each subject every Thursday until Professor Flitwick and I see some improvement. Any questions?" McGonagall told the pair.  
  
"No, Professor"  
  
"That's fine by me, ma'am"  
  
"Well, that's all. Bustle along there, you won't want to miss any classes." McGonagall said, as she shooed them out into the corridor.  
  
******  
  
That night, which was Wednesday, Lily sat on her bed just thinking to herself, actually, it was raging.  
  
"Potter tutoring me? Me tutoring him? This is the worst nightmare EVER!!!!!!! Take back all the things he's done to me and all the times he's made comments about me, then I guess he would be okay. But, still...he's an idiot! All he has is good looks and ...nothing else. Oh god, I'm gonna die! " She thought angrily.  
  
Meanwhile, James was thinking the opposite.  
  
"Yeah!!! I'm tutoring her and she's tutoring me! What could be better? She's so nice and pretty and smart, and I get to tutor her!!! The only problem is that she hates me, and thinks me an idiot. So it may not be that great, but oh well, I'll just be nice and hope for the best." he thought as he was, unlike Lily, sitting on the floor.  
  
*****  
  
When Thursday rolled around, Lily was getting nervous. She had no idea why but every time she saw James she got butterflies.  
  
Finally, 7 o'clock came and she set off for the Library, not knowing what was going to happen.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- YAY!!!!!! I know I know! It was short! But at least I updated! Um, can u people who have read this review? It would make me sssssoooooo happy!!!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE??????  
  
Toodles with poodles, Carmel 


	5. Snape The Meanie

A/N- YO!!! I'm SO happy! Way more reviews then I expected! I tried to make this chappie longer but I got kicked off the computer so I stopped it here.  
  
Many thanx to:  
  
~Senna2- thanx ssssooooo much 4 reviewing! It means ssssooooo much to me! Yep, its lacking long chapters I know very well! Its HaRd to write long chappies when lots of people r bugging u!!!! No privacy! Enjoy!  
  
~kelkelrox-I know! **whines** its short!!!!!! I hate that! This one is a bit longer.probably by one word. ENJOY!!!!  
  
~Alcapacien/Quiggles- Like your name! Well u wanted more, and here it is! Thanx 4 reviewing and I hope u like it!  
  
~slippersRfuzzy-lol, dude! Glad u liked it! Lol! Hey, I updated! Yay! It's a bit short, or is that ok? Read and rock on dude!  
  
Disclaimer: **screams** why so many of these? Why? Oh yeah, so I don't get sued! Sorry it slipped my mind! Well, as everyone should know, the characters r NOT mine. Only Audrey Trical and the plot! That's sad.(  
  
On we go:  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James had it all planned; he was going be as nice as possible and no pranks. "NO PRANKS! That's right, no pranks! NO PRANKS?" he was thinking wildly as he flew down the corridor (he was going to be late, not a good impression).  
  
That's what Sirius shouted when James actually confided him on what he was going to do.  
  
Flashback (2 hours ago)  
  
" So, I'm just gonna play it cool. No pranks either. That's gonna be hard!" James was telling to Sirius who had woken up at his words of "no pranks".  
  
"WHAT??? NO PRANKS?? But Jamesie-Wamsie! It's a custom! It's a tradition!" Sirius whined.  
  
"Yeah, I know dude, but it's Lily! She's gonna HATE me even more if I do anything to her or Audrey! " James explained, a little exasperated because his best friend was a little slow.  
  
"So?" Sirius asked with a dumb expression on his face.  
  
James sighed; Sirius could be so slow. "Just drop it Siri! There's just gonna be NO pranks! Hey, I challenge you to play chess with me."  
  
End of flashback  
  
********  
  
Lily didn't really have any plans. She was going to act as if he were one of her fellow students, which was only because she wanted to learn.  
  
As Lily approached the library, she bumped into someone. It wasn't just anyone; it was Snape.  
  
"Get out of my way, Mudblood!" he sneered unkindly.  
  
"No, I don't think she will, Snape." Said a boy's voice.  
  
There was James, who had witnessed the (small) scene. His was really mad for Lily's sake. He just had this look in his eyes; it looked like black fire. Lily shivered, James looked freaky.  
  
Severus Snape must have seen it to since he spoke with fear in his voice.  
  
"Why should I listen to a stuck-up Gryffindor such as you?" he smirked, trying to cover up his panic.  
  
Snape was a filthy, black-haired 15 year-old with dark, black eyes (A/N- well, black is as dark as it can get right?). He was a 5th year Slytherin and he was really good in Potions and the Dark Arts. Nobody really liked him except the Potions teacher, Professor Macabre. One of the reasons nobody liked him was because he was a bully and a Slytherin.  
  
"Why? Because I can get pretty violent. You can't just go around calling people names you know! Apologize!" James answered coolly.  
  
"No! Potter, you shut up! Snape, 5 points from Slytherin, Potter, just a warning!" Lily spoke up, taking up a professional manner.  
  
James and Snape gaped at her. James admired her for that. After having been called a Mudblood, most girls cried, but Lily had actually taken points away.  
  
Snape was the first one to recover. "Well, I'll be on my way, it was unpleasant enough until you had to make it worse Mudblood!" he sneered, and turned his heel and started to stride down the corridor.  
  
"Hey! Snape! That made no sense whatsoever!" James called after Snape's retreating back.  
  
Lily smiled inwardly. James could be funny sometimes. But other times he could be an idiotic git.  
  
In Lily's first year, she had had (A/N- past tense **sigh** not a repeated word) a crush on James Potter. Then he started to prank her and be mean to people just because it wasn't his day. He had defiantly changed.  
  
"Well, we should be getting ourselves to the library, we won't want McGonagall on our tail" James said to Lily, grinning like a maniac.  
  
Truth was with James; he had liked since 2nd year, when she started to become more social and outgoing. He had thought pranking would impress her. But, as he found out months before, she would rather go out with the giant squid than him. Yes, he had found out the hard way. James had thought she would except since he was one of most popular guys in school. When he was proved wrong, he was deeply hurt.  
  
"Yes, I suppose." Lily sighed. She had no other choice.  
  
"But Potter?" she asked, smirking.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I still hate you"  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- SHORT!!! WAY TO SHORT!!! I know I know, don't kill me, please don't kill me **hands over head**. Just review now and I'll be happy! You know u want me happy!!!  
  
MERCI AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Carmel M. a.k.a Serpent 


	6. Secrets

A/N-Ok! I uppied! This is the 5th chappie, not the 6th. Ff.net messed up.  
  
Thanx to:  
  
~jennifleur (the ONLY person who reviewed ch.4 (the real one)**growls**)- I noticed that u put me on your favs list! Thanx ssssooooo much! And thanx for reviewing Little By Little, it may be awhile until I update that one, I need more reviews! Well, I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: well, well, well, what have we here? Oh! It's another one of those funky disclaimers! Well, duh, none of the characters are mine! Except- Audrey Trical and the plot.  
  
Read and rock on peoples!  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
Lily and James walked to the library together, to James' delight. They were walking in silence but that was the way Lily wanted to be. All she wanted was to talk about the incantations and how the spells worked. No talking about her social life or why she wouldn't go out with James. Lily really found that annoying.  
  
James was a different story. He wished he could leave all that spell talk behind and talk about why she wouldn't go out with him. Well, James usually got what he wanted.  
  
"So, Lily, I was wondering why you won't go out with me. I mean, what's so bad about me?" James asked, actually sounding serious (A/N-I didn't use it- ) for once.  
  
Lily was infuriated. How could he bring that up now? It was her secret, so that was for her to know and him to (A/N-and him to find out:-) shut up about. No way in Lala Land was he ever going to find out. Or so she thought-  
  
"I don't want to talk about that!" she snapped. Ah, but James didn't give up that easily.  
  
"Lily, just tell me. What's wrong with me that you don't like?" James said, stopping and turning towards her.  
  
Lily stopped as well. "I'm not going to tell him. Lie! I need a lie, now, or I could just act as Lily" she thought hurriedly, not looking at his face.  
  
"Well, your arrogant, for one thing. Selfish. You have an ego that could fill up all of Europe. And-" She said. Shouldn't have let that "and" slip.  
  
"And?" James inquired.  
  
Lily sighed. His hazel eyes were so, pleading. Irresistible. She knew he would never give up. He'd ask her until she died. Yes, that was James Potter for you. A nevergiverupper (A/N- u know what I mean **sigh**).  
  
"I don't want to tell you. It's a secret that I never tell." Lily said, tearing her eyes away from his face.  
  
"Okay. Don't tell me." James said sincerely.  
  
Lily looked back up. He, of all people, be considerate? She was dumbfounded. She was totally lost for words, which was unusual for Lily Evans.  
  
"But for that arrogant and selfish part, I can change that. If you want." He said, smiling at her.  
  
Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing. Change?  
  
"W-why?" she stuttered.  
  
"For you. So you'll go out with me." He answered, cocking his head to the side.  
  
Lily thought he was adorable when he did that. So, he was willing to change for her. Sweet, but impossible. He could never change. Nope, but it would be fun to see him try. Every time Snape walked by, every time he looked himself in the mirror.  
  
"I don't think you can, sorry. It's impossible. I don't think you can ever change." She said, as she tucked a red strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
"We'll see" James said, slightly hurt, and walked down the corridor towards the library.  
  
Lily followed him. When they reached the library, Lily and James took on as formal. James taught her Transfiguration for a half hour and then they switched off. It wasn't too bad, since James hadn't talked about anything besides spells and wand positions.  
  
When the "class" was over, Lily made up her mind on something that had been bugging her.  
  
"Uh, Potter?" she asked, inhaling deeply.  
  
"Yeah?" James answered, packing up his sack.  
  
" Er. About that secret of mine, um, I'll tell you if you want." She said, ignoring the look James was giving her.  
  
"Sure, if you want" he shrugged. He was quite surprised. Lily hardly even said anything to him, and now she was telling him secrets? Weird.  
  
"Well, I'm scared of having a relationship, so don't change" Lily said quietly, and she turned her heel and ran down the corridor.  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-Allo mallo!!! Hope u liked it! Review, review, review!!!!!! Keep 'em comin'!!!!!!!!! quickly! If u want to read something else by me, check out Little By Little's 1st chappie! Please? And review it! You're all da bomb!  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!  
  
Carmel March 


	7. Mudbloods and Pondering

A/N-DUDES!!!!!!!!! Thankz for reviewing! It means tons to me!  
  
Many thanx to:  
  
~jennifleur-thanx SO much for taking the time to review! I'm so happy that u like it! **jumps and claps hands** and thanx for reviewing the other chappies! My greatest reviewer!  
  
~Agloechen-wow! U almost reviewed every chapter! Thanx so much! About the train to Belgium thing, I assume u mean the train that runs though the Brussels airport? U probably don't know, but oh well! Enjoy!  
  
~slippersRfuzzy-hey there! Thanx for reviewing! It makes me JUMP WITH JOY!!!! So, please, **bows**, read and review!  
  
Disclaimer: (hey, u peoples who r reading this, put a "d" at the end of your review!) ok, I totally forgot why im writing this! Really, is there a reason, or is it to drive us authors crazy? Well, I guess it slipped my mind so I'll just skip it . . . heheheh! Lets see what happens if I do! (im such a daredevil!)  
  
You probably want to read so go ahead:  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James stood there, in the middle of packing his sack, completely shocked.  
  
How could the Lily Evans he knew, be scared of having a relationship? It was quite impossible. But if James thought back, he was sure that she had never gone out. He never had seen her meet some boy in the common room, except for Remus, who was her prefect friend. But now he wondered why? Why would someone be scared of having a relationship, unless she could've been- nah, not Lily?  
  
James walked silently down the hall, backpack slung over his shoulder carelessly. He was thinking of all the possible ways to why someone could be scared to have a relationship. James was so absorbed in his thoughts that he walked headfirst into someone.  
  
"OW!" he yelped, falling on the floor, rubbing his head. James looked up and groaned. A greasy, black haired 15 year old was looming over him.  
  
"Ah-Potter! Would you be so kind to move out of my way? Mudblood wanna-be" Snape sneered, throwing his shoulder length hair behind his shoulder.  
  
James almost laughed when he saw Snape throwing his hair back. He looked so much like a girl when he did that.  
  
"No Snape, I won't. And stop doing that, you're freaking me out by acting like a girl!" James said coolly, but sniggering afterwards because of Snape's expression.  
  
"Shut it Potter! Your just as bad as the Mudbloods!" Snape said, clearly insulted.  
  
"Ha! That means I'm not to bad at all! And you obviously have an obsession of saying "Mudblood" every time you speak. You should cut the habit, doesn't make you look good." James grinned, and watched Snape's face twist into a look of anger and being offended.  
  
"Oh and Snivellus," James said as he picked himself up from the floor," keep your filthy hands off Lily Evans".  
  
James turned around, and strode away from Snape, who was muttering about how he deserved to be a Mudblood.  
  
************  
  
Meanwhile, Lily was up in her dormitory, cursing herself on telling James a part of her secret.  
  
"Why'd I tell him? Why?" she asked herself angrily. "Not even my best friend knows it! Oh, god! Now he's going to ask me why! I DON'T want to tell him! He doesn't deserve to know, and neither does anyone else! Even Audrey, though I didn't tell her, 'cause she'll be freaked. Oh, I'm never going to get over this!" Lily thought, quite nervous.  
  
After an hour or so of irritated thoughts, she fell asleep fully dressed.  
  
(A/N- I was going to leave it here, but I'll be nice and keep going (a little))  
  
***********  
  
Audrey Trical, Lily's friend, had been looking for Lily for a while. She finally gave up after an hour and went up to the Girls dorm. There was Lily, sleeping with all her clothes on.  
  
Audrey slapped herself. Lily had been here all along! Duh!  
  
She approached Lily, and was about to wake her up when Lily murmured something. Audrey leaned forward to hear more clearly.  
  
"No! Stop! Davies, I don't want to! I just can't! Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Lily panicked.  
  
Audrey stood there shocked. Is this what happened to Lily?  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- OOOOOOOHHH!!! IS IT?! I have no idea....haha, yes I do. No worries. Um well all u have to do is, dun dun dun dun!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yepy depy! Go right now and submit a review! I was thinking of making it PG- 13, what'da think?  
  
Toodles with poodles,  
  
Carmel (I may take a day off of writing, k?) 


	8. A Talk Between Audrey and James

A/N- hullo!!!! Sorry I haven't updated as often as I usually do, but I needed a break. And tomorrow im starting school!!!!!!! YUCKY! So that means, I CAN'T UPDATE AS OFTEN!!!!!!!!! OH NO! Oh well, just so ya know!  
  
LOTS of thanx to-  
  
~bombshell-yeah! I'm glad you think its damn good! lol! Read more!  
  
~Agloechen-yep! More exciting! I hope...hehehehehe! Well, enjoy! And thanx!  
  
~Alcapacien/Quiggles- yo! Can't believe what? What a good author I am? Lol! Well, enjoy! And dude, thanx 4 reviewing!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-yes, I'll make it somethin' like that. There shouldn't be any lil kiddeez out there! Anyways, thanx 4 reviewing dude! Do it more often! Lol. Take pleasure in reading this chappie!  
  
Disclaimer: well, well, well, what have we here? Oh, its  
only one of those stupid, crazy disclaimers! Oh olay!  
Joy! NOTHINGS MINE FOR HEAVENS SAKE!!!!!! Except Audrey  
Trical and the crazy plot! Happy? Good!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
Audrey just stood there, pondering. It had sounded like Davies had done something to Lily. Something that Lily never told her, so that meant it must have been bad. Lily usually confided in Audrey in everything.  
  
Audrey had a feeling that she shouldn't wake Lily, since she was in a deep sleep. Audrey covered Lily with a blanket, and sneaked quietly out of the dorm. On her way to the common room, she bumped into none other than Sirius Black.  
  
Now, about Audrey: she was a girl of average height, dark brown hair, brown eyes and was not exactly thin. Audrey was pretty, but not gorgeous, like her enemies (Lily's enemies too, mind you), who were Ravenclaw retards. Well, the bad thing was; she had a crush on Sirius. But she knew he would NEVER like her.  
  
"Hi. . . Audrey?" Sirius questioned, scratching his head.  
  
Audrey was shocked. Sirius Black, the 2nd most popular boy in Hogwarts, was talking to her, Lily Evans sidekick? Impossible, but real.  
  
"Yo. That's me!" Audrey answered; pretending meeting him was no big deal.  
  
"Oh, okay. I've got to be on my way now! Ole Moony has no IDEA what he has to do with that potion." Sirius said, flashing Audrey a Black grin. She felt as though he could see right though her and she had this feeling in her chest.  
  
"I bet it's the other way around!" Audrey called after Sirius' retreating back.  
  
She sighed, confused because he knew her name, and continued walking down the stairs towards the common room.  
  
Audrey sat down on the couch, gazing into the fire, when the portrait hole opened.  
  
James Potter walked in, looking thoughtful and unaware of his surroundings. He was so confused because of Lily and he was mad since Dawn Malidia had cornered him and asked him if he wanted to go out. Of course, being James, he smiled and said he'd think about it.  
  
Audrey just stayed quiet, observing him with interest. It wasn't everyday that you saw James Potter thinking hard. He sat down by the window and stared out of it, still thinking deeply.  
  
"What would scare Lily to have a relationship? I mean, that's weird, but its true she hasn't gone out with anyone . . . besides Davies. Ah, maybe he has something to do with it! I hope so." James was pondering, looking over the lake, which was as black as the sky and glinting from the lights from the castle.  
  
Audrey was bored after 10 minutes of watching him think. She cleared her throat, which steered James out of his thoughts.  
  
"What?" he asked irritably.  
  
"Well, I was wondering what was going inside that delightfully small head of yours?" Audrey answered, grinning.  
  
James then realized something. Audrey was Lily's best friend, so she should know why Lily was afraid of relationships.  
  
"I'd rather not, but can I ask you something?" James posed, hoping silently that she would know why.  
  
"Fine. What do you want to know?" Audrey said curtly, but leaning forward anyway.  
  
"Well, Lily's afraid of having a bond with anyone, a relationship, right?" James began, expecting her to nod. But to his surprise, she shook her head, to appalled to speak.  
  
"Oh. She never told you? Even though she's your best friend?" James said softly.  
  
Audrey spoke, though in a strange voice. "I had no idea that that was her problem. I merely thought that she wasn't ready."  
  
"Oh well, then, never mind. You wouldn't know then" James said, clearly disappointed.  
  
"What were you going to ask me?" She said, curious, forgetting the dilemma for a minute.  
  
"Just if you knew why. Why she's scared." James said.  
  
"Well, I just heard her about an hour ago talking in her sleep, scratch that, yelling in her sleep. She was saying, "Get off me" and "leave me alone, Davies!" It was quite clear she was having a nightmare, but whether or not it was real, I have no idea" Audrey said, twirling her hair nervously.  
  
"So Davies DOES have something to do with this" James thought excitedly, happy that he was getting somewhere.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- I think this was the longest chappie I've done, but im not sure. Hey! Im not called clueless dork for notin'!! lol! JUST REVIEW AND I'LL BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! THANX!!!!  
  
Bye bye, Carmel dude 


	9. Lils is Back?

A/N-Hey everyone! Nobody reads this, I know, but whatever! Here's another chappie and I hope that you enjoy it!  
  
Many thanx to:  
  
~Agloechen-ya! It's been short, I guess, but this one's longer, hopefully! But thanx anywayz!  
  
~slipperRfuzzy-yo! I hope you luv this chappie, which is longer don't worry! Thanx and enjoy!  
  
~bombshell-lol! Yep, I guess James will have to make everything sunshine and daisies! Haha! Well, read and please, rock on!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-yep! Ole Siri knows Audrey's name all right! Hahahahahahaha! There's nothing in this chappie 'bout that, but I'll put some Sirius/Audrey in some other chappie, if u want? Kk, thanx and review! Lol  
  
Disclaimer: Oh my god! I don't own any bloody thing!!!!!!!! 'cept Ole Audrey Trical and the useless plot!  
  
All right, please read!!!!!! :  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
Lily Evans stayed in her dorm all day, except for going to class and the bathroom. She really regretted telling James that, and was mad at herself.  
  
All Lily did was go to her classes, read (in her dorm), sleep and sneak down downstairs to get some food from the kitchen. It was quite boring, hardly talking and playing. Lily really didn't want to but she felt she had too.  
  
If truth be told, people around the school missed Lily. Especially James, who even missed the fights and arguments they always had. He sort of felt lonely, but not really, or maybe it was because a part of him was missing.  
  
Audrey stayed with Lily when she could but otherwise, she was with the Marauders. Wow, that made all the girls in the school jealous. She really didn't care about who was jealous or not, Audrey just wanted her best friend back. She decided to confront Lily that night, and tell her to come back.  
  
***  
  
"Lily?" Audrey said softly, opening the dormitory's door.  
  
She saw Lily look up from a book, a muggle one, called "Lily's Crossing".  
  
(A/N-haha! Okay, that was lame but there is one called that! I read it and its totally laaaame)  
  
"Oh, hi. What do you want?" She sounded a bit depressed, but definitely sad. Her normally shining green eyes had no more gleam in them.  
  
Audrey carefully closed the door, and walked over to her bed.  
  
"Lily, I really miss you, and I want you to come back!" She whined.  
  
Lily looked like she was about to smile, but it never came. She closed her book with a snap, and looked over at Audrey, who was currently pouting, mocking. Lily sighed. This was harder than she thought. She finally decided to tell Aud her secret.  
  
"Aud, you know I want to, but I just can't. See, I . . . I'm scared of having a relationship" Lily finished lamely, putting her head in her hands.  
  
She heard a sort of snorting noise and looked up. There was Audrey, stifling her laughter, which was not working. She gave one last snort, and let her amusement go. She was rolling on her bed for a full minute and finally regained control of herself.  
  
Lily was confused. Why was she laughing? Nothing was funny. It was even depressing.  
  
"Oh God, Lily! You thought I didn't know that? Haha! Its nothing to be ashamed of, well sorta" Audrey added, quietly, beginning to get hyper.  
  
"You can't hide the rest of your life!" Audrey said, laughing again.  
  
Lily glanced up at her best friend, and saw that she wasn't joking. Her brown eyes were full of glee and her thick, brown hair was all in her face.  
  
"You . . . you really mean it? Nobody will make fun of me, right?" Lily said anxiously.  
  
Aud stared at her with disbelief, and started giggling. She was starting to giggle REALLY high-pitched, on purpose, of course. It sounded quite evil, but that was what Audrey was known for, the crazy giggler.  
  
"Oh, come on! Hardly anyone even knows!" Aud said, getting impatient.  
  
" But nobody will care if I come back . . .only you, and maybe Potter, but he doesn't count, so that's you and nob-"Lily began, counting on her fingers.  
  
"James DOES care. I mean, he's the one who wants you back the most. And the rest of the school misses you too, you're always the one to sort out their problems, and everyone appreciates that-" Audrey started.  
  
"Potter does NOT want me back at all! All he wants is to prank me!" Lily interrupted.  
  
"Whatever, you decide. But I swear on my mother's bloody grave that he wants you back, for a good reason, that is!" Audrey stated.  
  
"FINE! I'll leave this place," Lily said, glancing around the dirty dormitory, "but I don't want anyone to laugh at my . . .problem!"  
  
Audrey laughed, got up and started to leave to dorm, when she heard Lily yell, "Hey! I'm coming with you!"  
  
She smiled inwardly, knowing James would be really happy.  
  
They both walked out of the dormitory and started off towards the common room, where the rest of Gryffindor was.  
  
**************  
  
"Oh, looky Prongsie! She's back! She probably doesn't want to talk to you, of course but oh well!" Sirius whispered to James as Lily came down the stairs with Audrey.  
  
James looked up from his book, Prito Pants, to see Lily sitting down on a sofa. He grinned; Lily was back! She was talking enthusiastically to Audrey, who was smiling, clearly happy Lily was, er, social again.  
  
"So, Mudblood, being public again?" A nasty, snobby girl asked.  
  
Lily started. She turned from her position on the sofa to look behind her. Great big, blue eyes of malice stared back at her. Sandy Lorents, Nicole Warden, Shari Siuta and Casey Berg were all leering at Lily, arms crossed.  
  
"What do you want?" Audrey said unpleasantly, standing her ground (A/N- haha! She's on the sofa!).  
  
The gang of girls looked surprised. No one, I repeat, NO ONE ever said anything unkind to them, since they were the popular, skinny, pretty, not to mention greedy, girls of the whole Gryffindor.  
  
Shari sniffed. Sandy sniffed. Nicole sniffed. Casey sniffed. That's how alike they were. I mean, come on, sniffing at the same time!  
  
"Excuse me?" said Casey, amazed.  
  
"She said, "What do you want?" Are you deaf or something?" Lily asked, deciding not to hide and let Audrey do all the work.  
  
"N-no! Its just-just that-!" spluttered Sandy. Nicole, Sheri and Casey looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Its just that you're all so perfect that no one can say a single mean word to you?" A deep voice finished.  
  
Lily and Audrey turned around to see the Marauders standing there, looking displeased. Lily was quite surprised, but very grateful.  
  
"Oh! Jamie! Siri! You're here! How wonderful!" Shari said in a more high- pitched, girly voice than usual.  
  
"Yes. But it's definitely not wonderful when you're around. So-" James said, glaring at them.  
  
"-Bugger off!" Audrey finished for him. She looked around at her friends, who nodded.  
  
Lily, Audrey, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter all left the girls staring, and marched off to find a more private place to talk.  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- OK!!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!! PWEEZE???? FOR ME? I'm SO sorry that I couldn't uppie sooner but I have lots of homework now that I've started school! So, please, accept the apology!!! Lol  
  
Toodles with noodles, Carmel 


	10. An Encounter and a Scream

A/N- I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!! I was just so busy!!! 5 hours of homework for the WEEKEND! Definitely not used to that!!! Well, here it is, the next chappie!!!!  
  
Thanx to:  
  
Bombshell-dude! Thanx! Hope this chappie is perfect too!  
  
Agloechen-Nah, I don't think you'll stop asking questions!!! Thanx 4 reviewing!!!  
  
Alcapacien/Quiggles- thanx so much 4 reviewing!!! Hope ya like this chappie!  
  
jennifleur- glad u like it!!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!! Thanx 4 reviewing BOTH of my stories!!!! Enjoy!!!  
  
Sunkissed-Moonlight-Hey! So glad ya liked it! Me lurve Sirius too!  
  
Disclaimer: I'm not writing it!! **crosses arms and glares at JK**  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ANIANGEL, JENNIFLEUR, XMAGICX AND SUNKISSED- MOONLIGHT BECAUSE THEY ALL ADDED ME TO THEIR FAVS LIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
The whole school was back to normal now; all the Lily and James arguments were regained again, all the bets, all the gossip on how to get James Potter to come back to life and most of all, Lily was back. Some people groaned inwardly, the Prefect was back. Then some people were really happy since Lily was nice and funny with them.  
  
Lily was studying in the Library, revising her notes for the upcoming test in Transfiguration. Just then, a hand came down on the table and knocked 3 times. Lily knew immediately who it was, or so she thought.  
  
"What Potter?" She said curtly, not looking up from her work.  
  
"Funny, Lily, that you know who it was, but was wrong." Said a voice a little lower than James'.  
  
Lily almost shrieked when she looked up. It was Bruce Davies. The Bruce Davies. The one Lily was always scared of.  
  
Scared that he might make a move on her, Lily quickly scrambled up and grabbed her bag, clearly deciding to leave. But a hand grabbed her shoulder roughly and jerked her backwards.  
  
"Why so scared of me Lily?" Davies asked in his deep, rumbling manner.  
  
Lily gathered up her courage and replied, "I'm not. Its just that you smell so bad that I can't stand to be near you."  
  
Davies looked convinced for a second, quickly smelt himself and grinned back at Lily. She shuddered. His grin was like the ugliest face Snape could possibly make. It scared the living daylights out of her, but she made herself look calm.  
  
"You got me Lily, but that was a bad excuse." Davies said, still grinning his terrible grin.  
  
"I really don't have to tell you anything Davies. So I'm not. Leave me alone, please." Lily said shortly, turning her heel to leave again.  
  
"Oh, but you do. I can be forceful, as you know. Lily, tell me that you are scared of me!" Davies said compellingly. He was watching Lily's every move, to see if she could escape.  
  
Bruce Davies was a Slytherin and a bully, but a different kind compared to Snape. He used his power and money to get what he wanted, in a very bad way. Lots of greedy girls would fall for him, just for the money. Lily had had an encounter with him the previous year and it wasn't pretty. He had turned really very ugly on her. Davies had made a few potions and spells to lead her to him.  
  
"No, I won't tell you anything! Not even what king of toothpaste I use!" Lily yelled at him.  
  
"No? But Lily, what a mistake you have made. I get what I want you know." Davies whispered hoarsely because some people in the Library were staring at them from behind their books and parchments.  
  
"That's what you think. And don't call me Lily, to you its Evans!" Lily snapped, starting to get flushed.  
  
"Very well, Evans, but that's a terrible blunder you have given yourself. Trust me, it is." said Davies, turning around to leave. As he was walking off towards the Slytherin Common Room, Lily was already packing her sack hastily, very oblivious to all the stares she was getting. Hardly anyone even talked to the Bruce Davies, let alone yell.  
  
Lily walked off towards the Gryffindor Common Room, thinking desperately.  
  
"How DARE he even TALK to me after that!!! He's just so scary. So calm and convincing sometimes. The idiot! The bloody idiot! I hate him so much! But he's always following me around, making me nervous and scared that I can never be alo-" Lily's thoughts were interrupted by being pushed into the wall.  
  
The Potions Master, Professor Macabre, was speeding down the hallway completely unaware of pushing Lily into the wall. Lily thought the haste in his pace was odd. Something must be up.  
  
She quickly picked herself up from the dirty floor, and followed Macabre. She had no idea where she was going, but the echoing footsteps of the Professor lead her all the way down to the dungeons. Scared, though excited too, Lily rounded a dark, gloomy corner. She saw Macabre whisper something to a portrait of a man with long, black hair and a hooknose.  
  
The nasty looking portrait opened wide enough so that Lily could see a long table with chairs inside. It wouldn't have been too scared if there weren't hooded figures in the seats. All was silent as Macabre entered the room. The portrait swung shut with a hiss, leaving Lily standing alone or so she thought.  
  
James Potter was with his friends, the Marauders of course. They were discussing antics on how to get girls. It was a monthly meeting, so nothing much was new.  
  
Sirius was going on about how much Tanie Glafia loved chocolate and cards. Remus was arguing with Peter on how to shut Sirius up. James was spacing out, thinking of a certain redhead.  
  
Suddenly, a scream was heard. It definitely wasn't in the Common Room, it sounded far away.  
  
All the Marauders snapped out of their thoughts.  
  
"What was t-th-that?" Peter stuttered. He looked around at his friends, who were looking worried.  
  
"Duh! Peter, are you retarded? It was a scream!" Sirius replied.  
  
Inside, James was nervous. What if the person who had screamed was Lily? Was she okay? He got up, and strode to the dormitories door. James wrenched it open, not even waiting to see if his friends were following.  
  
Remus, Peter and Sirius all exchanged glances.  
  
"Lily" They sighed at the same time and scurried out the door after James.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-hope u all liked it!!!! REVIEW!!!! THANX!!!  
  
I probably cant uppie till next week, just so ya know!!!  
  
Toodles,  
  
Car 


	11. Giving Up

A/N-Okay! Im back! YAY!!! Yeah, lotz of thank yous that's for sure! Hope u all enjoy the chappie!  
  
Thanx to-  
  
~Wolfmoon- glad u like it! Honored! Enjoy!  
  
~jennifleur-freaky? Nah, just a mild cliffie, lol. Please take pleasure in this chappie! **bows**  
  
~Alcapacien/Quiggles- too much cliffhangerness? Lol. I really love your story! It rox! Thankz!  
  
~Agloechen- ah, hello my most loyal reviewer! Hope u like this chappie!  
  
~Bombshell-sorry I couldn't uppie really soon, WAY TO MUCH HOMEWORK!!!! Yes, unfortunately. Oh well, hope you like it!  
  
~Liviana-short, yes im afraid so. This chappie is my longest yet, but its not to long. Enjoy!  
  
~Loony bout Lupin- thanx so much! Really enjoy this chappie!  
  
~FoXyRoXiE-I enjoy typing your name! Well, I hope u like this chappie!  
  
~Heather-IM SO HAPPY! U LUV MY STORY!!!!!! Aw, anywayz, hope u likie this chappie!  
  
~crazyinluv- gimme chocolate!!!!!! Lol, Im so happy u like this story! Thanx!  
  
~Swimmerkitti-hey, what can I say? I LIKE REVIEWS! Everyone's different. Too bad 4 u if u don't enjoy the story, but don't read it if u don't want to. Im not forcing u to. Hope u like it better.  
  
~lizzy-u get more! Read and rock on!  
  
~Window Girl- glad u like it! Enjoy!  
  
~SiruisBlacksGirl4eva-glad u liked the cliffie! Please, read on!  
  
~kimmerez-I tried to hurry! I really did! Hope u will like the chappie!  
  
~I love guitars-I love guitars too! Im happy u like it! So glad! Thanx  
  
~Goten-Lupin-ill keep writing! Don't worry! Read and rock on!  
  
~Anna L. Black-im so very pleased u like it! Please read on! And thanx!  
  
~EbonyRiddlesaysR+H foreve-ill finish it! No worries! Thanx! And enjoy!  
  
~Sum1-no, ff.net is free! YAY! U don't get any money off it, so its ffffffffrrrrrrreeeeeeeee! Go ahead and make an account, write a story and get reviews! Hahaha! Thankz!  
  
THIS CHAPPIE IS DEDICATED TO: LOONY BOUT LUPIN, CRAZYINLUV, SIRUISBLACKSGIRL4EVA, KIMMERZ, ANNA L. BLACK AND MALIHA WHO ALL ADDED ME TO THEIR FAVS!!!!!!!!! THANKZ! ! @#$%^&*()  
  
James Potter flew down corridors and corridors, following the scream's echoes. He was worried. Very worried.  
  
Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew (A/N- the friggen piece of scum!) followed him, but lost James because he was going to fast.  
  
"Mooooony! Slow down! Can't take all this running!" Sirius whined pathetically. They all slowed down, giving up on catching James.  
  
"God, Siri. Didn't think you were so out of shape!" Remus grinned, teasing Sirius. Sirius slapped him on the arm.  
  
"Oh shut up! I'm not out of shape! Just . . . not . . . " Sirius trailed off, as the 3 Marauders heard the scream again. Remus and Sirius exchanged another glance and hurried off again, Peter bringing up the rear.  
  
***  
  
James was still running down corridors. He couldn't track down where the scream came from. He rounded a corner and slowed down. This was so useless, he would never find out who screamed. He would probably have to search the whole castle to find anything, and he was most likely not to. But for all he knew, it could've been Lily who had screamed.  
  
James slumped down beside the wall, his head falling into his hands.  
  
"I give up. I can't search the whole castle until I find them! It could've been Lily, or it could've been Snape. Yeah, Snape." James thought, picking himself off the floor and heading back towards the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
***  
  
Lily was still standing by the portrait of the man. She had heard the scream too, and she was worried. What if the person was in danger? It could've been Audrey for heaven's sake!  
  
Lily decided to walk back to the Gryffindor Common Room after a few minutes of thinking. It was odd; the person hadn't ever screamed again. She decided that if there was any news of anything, a death or disappearance, it would be in the Common Room. Lily sped up, rounding corners at a run.  
  
She arrived at the portrait hole soon enough, almost colliding with the Fat Lady's frame.  
  
"Whoa, slow down dear! What all this rush?" The Fat Lady said, clearly not very happy with Lily.  
  
"Sorry Madam" was Lily's hurried reply. She mumbled the password ("pawnbowl") and entered the portrait hole into the Common Room.  
  
$*$*$*$  
  
As James was heading back toward the Common Room, he heard a shuffling noise behind him. He whipped around, and saw Severus Snape running down the hall.  
  
"Odd. What was Snivellus doing behind me? Very peculiar." James thought, turning around again. He started running. He was impatient to see if Lily was in the Common Room, safe and sound.  
  
It was very unlike James Potter to worry about anyone, except the rest of the Marauders. Lots of people noticed this. Lots thought it was very sweet, lots were jealous. The most jealous of them all were Sandy Lorents, Nicole Warden, Shari Siuta and Casey Berg.  
  
When James was approaching the Fat Lady's portrait, he started to slow down.  
  
"Handlotion" he panted at the Fat Lady.  
  
"Sorry, dear. The password has changed as you should remember." The Fat Lady said, filing her nails. James tried to remember the password. After all the homework and Lily problems, he couldn't remember it. "Handlotion" was last month's code word, an invention of the Fat Lady.  
  
"Oh. I can't think of it. Can you please let me in?" James begged to the portrait with his famous puppy eyes. The Fat Lady looked like she was considering it, gave an approving nod, and let the gold frame swing open.  
  
"What luck! I've got to tell Sirius! Puppy eyes, and a free entrance." James thought, entering the Common Room. His eyes searched the whole place, looking for red hair.  
  
There was Lily, curled up in a soft red armchair. James, very relieved, made his was over to her, ignoring the feeble attempts of conversation by hopeful girls. He stopped in front of her chair, just staring at her. Lily was reading a book called "A Wrinkle In Time" and was so absorbed in it that she didn't notice James, or she maybe it was because she just didn't want to.  
  
James was entranced, as he was always when he looked at Lily. He liked it when she was calm, not angry or flustered, especially at him. He cleared his throat, and sat down next to her. Lily didn't look up or even acknowledge him and James thought this odd. Then he saw wires coming out of her ears, leading to a round piece of metal with buttons. (A/N-wires out of ears! Funny!) He recognized it as a magi-player, which was like a CD player, but would work in any location. You couldn't use a muggle CD player in Hogwarts; too much magic.  
  
James tapped Lily on the shoulder, and she looked up. Her body stiffened when she looked at him. She reached for her wand and said "Finaka" while she tapped the magi-player. Lily took the earphones out of her ears and marked her book before looking at James again.  
  
"What Potter?" She asked curtly. James winced at her tone of voice. She never ever gave him a chance to make good conversation.  
  
"I just wanted to say hello." James answered innocently. She looked at him suspiciously and looked down at her feet.  
  
"Its more than that, I know it is." She said, still gazing at her feet as though they were an entrancing animal at a zoo.  
  
James was taken aback. She knew about the scream? Nah. . .  
  
"Oh, well, yeah. Listen, earlier today I heard a scream. Did you hear it?" James said, not wanting to admit he thought it was her. She would think him insane, and he certainly didn't want that.  
  
"Yeah, actually, I did. But I never found anyone or any news about it." Lily responded, sounding interested in what James was saying for once.  
  
"I was wondering who it was, but I never found out. I thought it was you . . ." James trailed off, embarrassed. Lily looked at him, smiling to herself. She had made THE James Potter worried and embarrassed.  
  
"Really? I didn't know you would care." Lily said, but in a more teasing manner than before.  
  
James grinned. "Oh, but I do!" He said.  
  
Lily smiled. Then she noticed what she was doing and stopped immediately. Then she picked up her book, and pretended to read.  
  
"Hey. What do you listen to?" James asked her, and pointed to the magi- player. Lily looked up again and said, "Sum 41" quietly.  
  
"Really? Me too!" James said, suddenly more enthusiastic.  
  
Lily nodded, and returned to her book. James sighed, got up and said, "Goodnight" to Lily softly. Then he headed back to his dormitory to find the rest of the Marauders.  
  
He gave up for the night. It was like she was scared to talk and smile around him. Nothing was wrong with laughing or smiling at anyone. It was a way to express yourself, and that was a good thing, right?  
  
Meanwhile, Lily watched James' back as he left and whispered "Goodnight" after he had disappeared up the stairs.  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
Hope you all liked it! I probably can't uppie 'till next week, but I'll see! Please leave a review! Thanx!!!!  
  
Carmel 


	12. Mistakes

A/N-Hi hi! A quick chappie! Thankz everyone for your support! I AM SO SORRY FOR SAYING THAT THEY LIKED SUM41!!!!! I know it wasn't a band then, but forgive me please!  
  
Thanx to:  
  
~Swabewwy Choco Angel-Thanx! Sorry it's a little slow! I'll try to improve that!  
  
~goldenhorse-Thanx! I love your stories, so no prob on reviewing!  
  
~Alriadne-hey! Thankz for reviewing! I LOVE your stories! So thankz again!  
  
~crazyblonde-thankz! So glad you like it!  
  
~WolfMoon-AH! A mystery! Ill probably say in the next chappie! Thanx!  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-HEY! Thankz so much!  
  
~Anna L. Black-HAHA! A mystery! Ill probably tell in the next chappie! Thankz!  
  
~Summerpony-I wont stop, don't worry! Thank you!  
  
~Sunkissed-Moonlight-I love your story!!!! Thank you!  
  
~Agloechen-thanx! Sorry, you'll probably find out who screams in the next chappie!  
  
~Bombshell-I HATE HOMEWORK!!!!!! It makes me not update sooner! Thank you! And enjoy!  
  
~Elvencherry07-Thankz!  
  
~crazyinluv-GIMME COOKIES!!!!!!!!! Now! Lol, thanx!  
  
~SlippersRfuzzy-thanx!  
  
OKAY!!!! TO THE STORY!!!!!  
  
Oh, yeah, this CHAPPIE IS DEDICATED TO: ABBARAINE AND CRAZYBLONDE COZ THEY BOTH ADDED ME TO THEIR FAVS LIST!!!!!!!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James Potter was taking a little break from Lily Evans. He knew she hated him, and was going to respect that, for a while. He would say "Hi" to her every now and then, but otherwise, he kept to himself.  
  
James was walking away from the Potions class and heading up to the Gryffindor Common Room when a brown-haired girl came up to him. She only went up to his shoulder in height, and was pretty thin. She was very pretty, and James couldn't help staring at her.  
  
The girl said sweetly, "Hi! I'm Leslie!"  
  
James just gawked at her before coming back to his senses and answering the gorgeous girl. She had these hazel, pleading eyes that made him want to melt.  
  
"H-hi!" James stuttered. He looked around nervously to see if Sirius or Remus were in the hallway. They weren't, so he looked back at Leslie. She smiled, and started to talk kindly to the staring boy.  
  
"Yes. I was just wondering, just wondering if you knew James Potter."  
  
James' attention, which had still been focused on staring at Leslie, snapped back to reality at the sound of his name.  
  
"Yeah. That's me!" James said, suddenly enthusiastic. Leslie looked at him suspiciously and said, "Oh! Okay. Nice to meet you!"  
  
She held out her hand, which James shook happily. He liked her. He thought her very sweet and caring, unlike the other girls in Hogwarts. He was deciding whether or not to ask her out, mainly because he needed to have a distraction from Lily. Lily had been on his mind constantly, and he wanted to forget about her. Her and her brilliant shiny green eyes, her soft, curly red hair, and don't forget the temper she has . . . . . .  
  
"Yeah, nice too meet you to! Um . . ." James replied, still thinking about Lily. Sure Leslie was pretty and sweet, but she just wasn't Lily.  
  
"Yes?" Leslie said, leaning in closer to James in order to hear what he had to say. He cleared his throat and asked, "Hey, Leslie? Will you go out with me? Be my girlfriend?"  
  
Leslie gasped, and started to giggle.  
  
"Of course Jamie!" She said, and took his hand, leading him back to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
@*@*@*@*  
  
Lily Evans noticed the changes in Potter. He had stopped bugging her, and had quit asking her to be his girlfriend. It was odd, but she felt relieved. She had decided that wasn't going to ever go out with anyone again since Davies. Davies really creeped her out because he was so scary and powerful.  
  
Lily was seated at the windowsill, reading a book. The moonlight was streaming in through the curtains, reflecting her shadow on the wall. James was always on her mind. She sort of missed the fights they always had, the ones that she always started. She smiled. Lily missed him. It was obvious she did. She missed seeing his messy hair, and his hazel eyes staring at her. It was what she was used to, and Lily wanted it all back. The most James had said to her in the past 2 weeks was: "Hi Lily" and that disturbed her.  
  
Lily sighed and was getting cold. She was in her nightgown and had bare feet. She decided that she would go down to the Common Room where the fire was and, unfortunately, James. When Lily's feet touched the stone floor, she shivered. It was really cold. She hurried down the steps and sat down on a red couch in front of the warm fire.  
  
@*@*@*@*@*  
  
James was running down the corridors, holding the beautiful Leslie's hand. When they arrived at the portrait hole, they slowed down. Leslie looked at him with approachable eyes.  
  
"I'm not a Gryffindor, remember?" She said sadly. James nodded, and leaned down (A/N-Leslie's SHORT remember?). They kissed, and then James pulled away with wide eyes. What was he doing? He now had a girlfriend, and he was kissing her? He wanted Lily, and only Lily. But then he noticed that maybe having a girlfriend would make her jealous, and then she would come running to him, declaring her never-ending love for him. James knew it was all fantasy though. Lily would never be his, and he really needed to move on.  
  
James bid Leslie a quick farewell and entered the Common Room. There he saw her. Lily was sprawled out over a burgundy couch, clearly sleeping. James walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her. He was really tired too. He fell asleep right there and then, dreaming of the person next to him.  
  
@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
Lily awoke with a start. She had felt something wrapped around her, and wanted to see what it was. Her heart almost stopped when she saw the James Potter all tangled up with her. He was quite handsome when he was sleeping, she noticed. Lily blushed a deep scarlet color at the though, and quickly pretended to be asleep when she saw James move.  
  
James felt the thing he was holding. It was breathing steadily, so it must have been living. He cracked his eyes open, and saw a radiant redhead lying on the arm of the couch right next to him. This was his dream. Lily sleeping happily next to him, and not having a care in the world. But reality hit James. Lily still hated him, and would forever.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N- hope ya all liked it! Don't forget to review! Oh, and I wont be able to update till next week, probably with all the dumb homework! Ah, if you're bored, can you read and review my other story?  
  
TOODLES,  
  
CARMEL 


	13. All Messed Up

A/N-WOW!!! Im back! I hope you guys enjoy this chappie!  
  
MANY thanx to:  
  
~Abarraine-thankz so much!!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-glad you like it! Please read on!  
  
~crazyblonde-here's more! Happy? Hope so!  
  
~FoXyRoXiE-thankz so much!!!! Really glad you like it! Read and rock on!  
  
~Jennifleur-thanx! Yeah, he should have, but oh well! Enjoy!  
  
~crazyinluv-thank you! **bows** please enjoy!!!!!!!!  
  
~Agloechen-well questions are great! Lol Leslie's a 5th year in Hufflepuff! But I dunno when Lily + James are gonna wake up, well I do but I wont say! Thankz and enjoy!  
  
~Bombshell-yes! Die homework die!!! Lol enjoy the chappie!  
  
~WolfMoon-thank you! Hey, I uppied! Happy? Lol! Thankz!  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-yes, homework is EVIL!!! That's why I cant update as often! Well, enjoy the new chappie!  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO: FoXyRoXiE AND ABARRAINE COZ THEY ADDED ME TO THEIR FAVS LISTS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
Lily Evans pretended to sleep on the red couch until James had left. She quietly got up and snuck to the girls' dormitories.  
  
Her mind was in a crazy jumble. She had slept right next to Potter, her "worst enemy". How could that have happened? She wasn't possessed by some evil spirit, was she? No, the last thing Lily could remember before going down to the Common Room was reading her book by the moonlight, and couldn't remember falling asleep.  
  
Lily sighed as she went up the winding, twisting stairs up to her dormitory. She sat on her bouncy, four-poster bed and sighed. What to do on this boring Saturday. Maybe go down to the library, or go to the kitchens to visit the little house elves. What Lily wanted to do was go and fly out on the Quidditich pitch.  
  
She grabbed her broom, which was secretly hidden from everyone under her bed, and made her way clandestinely down to the Common Room, again. Nobody was there, which was excellent for Lily.  
  
Lily Evans wasn't the kind of girl that people thought would fly. The whole school population would say all she did was read and study. But really, on the inside, Lily only did that to cover up the more boyish side of her. She didn't really have a reason to do so, but Lily thought it was fun. For her, flying took her mind off everything and everyone, and relieved her from bad thoughts and memories. Also, it was something fun and exciting to do if she was bored.  
  
When Lily arrived at the Quidditich pitch, huffing and puffing, she leaped up upon her broom. She kicked off from the ground feeling relieved when the air hit her face, and when her hair was flying around her head. Lily was like a bird when she was on a broom. She soared as easily as one at least. Lily did loops and twirls as good as Kevin Polanski, the star seeker on the Gray Stalkers Quidditich league.  
  
No one knew how well Lily Evans could fly, no one yet at least.  
  
@*@*@*@*@*@*@  
  
James Potter was taking a walk around the gigantic black lake with Leslie. He wasn't really having a good time with her. He quickly found out that Leslie was as talkative as the Hufflepuffs. Just in a couple of minutes, he knew that her mother was a magical cosmetic designer and her father worked for the Ministry Of Magic.  
  
"-I broke a nail, and then I screamed, because the Hornwater almost bit me and-" She was saying.  
  
James head snapped up.  
  
"You screamed?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, I mean the Hornwater almost bit me!" Leslie replied, as if stating the obvious.  
  
So it had been LESLIE who screamed. Not Lily, not Audrey, Leslie. James felt stupid. He had worried so much for Leslie! She wasn't really worth worrying for, to be mean. James didn't like her at all now. She was annoying and way to talkative for James, or any Gryffindor.  
  
"Oh." James said stupidly, because he couldn't find anything else to say.  
  
Leslie babbled on until James interrupted her abruptly.  
  
"What house are you in?"  
  
Leslie looked taken aback, and slightly hurt that he interrupted her talking.  
  
"Hufflepuff! Of course, I wish I could be in Gryffindor." She answered in a syrupy voice, snuggling up against his arm.  
  
James understood now. Those Hufflepuffs were always so darn happy and chatty. Not to mention overly sweet and annoying.  
  
The two of them walked on, now silent. He must have hurt her feelings when he had disrupted her jabbering. Geez, those Hufflepuffs had sensitive feelings, all right.  
  
When the sun was starting to go down, making everything orange and red, James and Leslie headed back toward the castle. In the Great Hall, he bade a quick farewell to Leslie, who was expecting more. She walked away slowly to the Hufflepuffs' Common Room.  
  
James took off to the Gryffindor Common Room to go get his new-fangled broom. He said the password to the Fat Lady ("Layaway") and raced up to the boys' dormitories. James found his Nimbus 500 model, and ran out to the Quidditich pitch for a little flying time before the sun set completely.  
  
When James got there, he saw that another person was zooming around and around the pitch. The flyer's face was a blur to James, but he still noticed how brilliant the player was. He mounted his broom and took off toward the mysterious person. Flying beside the quickly moving person he shouted, "Flying late?"  
  
Lily, still unknown to James, snapped her head to look at him. It was James Potter.  
  
"Great." She thought. Thinking quick, she swerved outwards, away from James. She zoomed off towards Hogwarts, James following her.  
  
@*@*@*@*@  
  
Lily landed in front of the wooden, oak doors. She hopped off her broom quickly and scurried inside to the Great Hall. James was a little bit behind her, catching up. She really had no reason to run from him, but it was something to do at least.  
  
Rounding a sharp corner, she crashed into the wall. Lily got up hastily, but she could already hear James' footsteps coming nearer.  
  
"But there's still time!" Lily thought, as she ran as fast as she could down corridors.  
  
Finally, Lily reached the Fat Lady's portrait, breathing heavily. She couldn't hear Potter anymore. Maybe he gave up trying to pursue her. Most likely.  
  
"Layaway!" She panted at the portrait.  
  
"Yes yes, my dear child! But what's the rush?" The Fat Lady asked Lily, nevertheless swinging the frame open.  
  
"Oh nothing!" Lily said, as she ran into the Common Room, and up the stairs toward the girls' dormitory.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-well well, the chappie has come to an end! Aaaaaaaaawwww! Please review!  
  
Thankz,  
  
carm 


	14. Cry

A/N-hey again! Another chappie is here, and enjoy! It would have been up sooner if FF.net had been up! It wasn't working, and I was DEVESTATED!  
  
All my ThAnX go to:  
  
~Cinnamon Sunrise-Thank you so much! Yeah, I noticed that it was occ, sorry!  
  
~Alcapacien/Quiggles-yeah! Leslie's evil and stupid! I agree! Lol! Enjoy!  
  
~Agloechen-I updated! Finally! Hope you like it! Thankz!  
  
~crazyinluv-yeah, we do like the same stories! Cool! Im so happy you like my story! Hank ou ery uch!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR-thankz! You rock!  
  
~Jennifleur-hey! Im so happy you like it! I updated!  
  
~Bombshell-I think im gonna start an "I hate school" club! Lol! Yes, school sux and so does homie homework! Thankz and enjoy!  
  
~WolfMoon-Hey! Again, thank you for reviewing! No, James doesn't find who's flying! Plus, he's got other troubles! You'll see! Thank you! And ENJOY!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-hi! Thankz and ENJOY!!!  
  
~Anna L. Black-I updated! Happy? Hope so! Hope ya like the chappie!  
  
~SiruisBlacksgirl4eva-thanx! Im so happy that you like my story!  
  
ENJOY!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
When Thursday rolled around again, and Lily's dread to tutor James was back again, the 5th years were informed that the O.W.L.s were coming this year. Everyone knew this of course, and some had already started to study like mad. Most of the normal people (A/N-no offence, I'm not normal either but I hate to study) though, were laying it off until the date came closer.  
  
Lily Evans really didn't want to go to the Library to be tutored by James Potter. But she guessed it was quite important for her grades, and for his, which she couldn't care less about.  
  
When the time came, Lily packed her bag, and headed out of the portrait hole, to the Library. As soon as she arrived, she saw James sitting at a table, head in his hands. It was a miracle that he was actually on time, or even a little bit early.  
  
She sat down at the other end of the table and cleared her throat to gain his attention. He looked up, but didn't make eye contact with Lily as he said, "Hi. Do you want to get started?" in a sullen voice, unlike his normal tone.  
  
"Sure. I need to learn the incantations for Transfiguring, um, animals?" She said lamely.  
  
Lily noticed that James was weaker and more limp when he did and said the spells, than usual. James was generally perky and annoying, but today, he wasn't. Lily made an effort to be nicer to him than usual, because of his weird state.  
  
"Yeah, for Transfiguring smaller animals, like rabbits and birds, into something, you have to picture what you're going to do to it in your mind. Okay, for instance, you want to turn a rat into a rocking chair. Picture the rocking chair in your head and say "Petianigous". "Petianigous" works for just the small animals." James was telling Lily, in a flat, tired voice. He looked up to see if Lily was listening, and made eye contact with her, accidentally.  
  
Lily saw his hazel eyes flicker up to her green ones, and she had to stifle a gasp. His eyes were so dull and sad; when usually, they were animated and bright. This was hardly the real James Potter. James Potter loved himself and his life, but now, he looked so uncertain and sad. Something must have really hurt him bad, Lily thought. Insults bounced right off of him, so that couldn't have made him gloomy and depressed. It wasn't like one of his best friends died; the Marauders were all safe in the Gryffindor Common Room, probably playing chess or Exploding Snap.  
  
"O-okay" Lily stammered, pretending not to notice how different James was.  
  
James nodded and continued explaining the rules and incantations to Lily in a monotone. When it was Lily's turn to tutor, Charms of course, James just listened and mumbled "Yeah" to whatever she said.  
  
After about 2 hours of learning and teaching, Lily and James were relatively tired and worn out. James looked like he was asleep on his feet when he got up from the table.  
  
Lily decided to walk with James to the Gryffindor Tower, to his great surprise. She was only doing it to maybe see why he was so depressed. But she had other reasons too . . .  
  
~~*~~  
  
Lily Evans never did find the explanation to James' behavior. She wanted to know because it was so not like him. James was so, so happy and cheerful, but now he was so dark and, gone. It was like a part of him was missing.  
  
Lily sighed as she sat down on her creaky, four-poster bed in the girls' dormitory. The day had worn her out. It was no easy task learning and teaching for 2 or so hours. Lily spread herself out on her bed, just wanting to go to sleep. Lily let her eyes droop and went into a deep slumber.  
  
~~*~~  
  
The next day was Friday, thank God. It was the end of all the piles and piles of homework the teachers gave them. Lily went to her classes as usual, and so did Audrey.  
  
At the end of the day, in the Common Room, everyone was doing their homework or chatting. Lily and Audrey were talking quietly about the classes and other things that were interesting.  
  
After a few hours, everyone had gone to bed, except Lily. The fire was flickering and fading, but Lily wasn't tired and decided to stay down there, in the comfortable red chair. All was dark and silent for a few minutes, until a soft shuffling noise came for the stairway. James Potter came into view, looking as exhausted and in a shamble. He didn't seem to notice Lily sitting there because he sat down a worn-out couch, near the fire and put his head in his hands.  
  
Lily looked at him curiously and helped herself out of her chair, striding over to James. She sat down on the floor in front of him and poked at his leg. He looked up from his hands and looked at Lily with newfound interest.  
  
"Yes?" He said, one of the first times that day. Lily smiled and said gently, "What's wrong?" being kind for once.  
  
A look of sorrow crossed James' pale face as she said that. He opened his mouth then closed it, looking away toward the vanishing, red fire.  
  
James felt he could trust her. She might only be his crush, but she was so caring and gentle, even though she could be fiery and hot-tempered.  
  
"It just doesn't matter now." He said softly.  
  
"What?" Asked Lily. James sighed.  
  
"My life. It just doesn't matter now." He said, turning toward Lily to see her expression.  
  
The look on Lily's face was surprised, to say the least. James was serious. Some would say it was impossible for the James Potter to be upset and serious about something, but they were wrong. Here was James, sad and depressed, like never before. Lily was sympathetic for him.  
  
"But it does. What happened for you to think like this?" Lily said, leaning over to hear what he would say.  
  
"My-my mother die-died." He gulped. Lily gazed at his gaunt, pale face with new emotions. No, it wasn't his best friend who had died; it was part of his family.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lily said apologetically, emotion showing clearly on her face.  
  
"She was murdered by-" James' voice paused. Anger was written on his face. "-By Voldemort."  
  
Lily didn't say anything. It wasn't necessary. James put his face in his hands, struggling not to cry. (A/N-hey, what would you do if your mother had died?!) Lily got up and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"Cry." The redhead said.  
  
If someone were to walk in at that moment, they would have thought it odd, two enemies hugging, and the most popular guy crying on Lily's shoulder.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-aw! Okay, now REVIEW PLEASE!!! Make me happy! Thanx!  
  
If you have a story you want me to read or review TELL ME! I love to read anything that's Harry Potter related!  
  
Thankz,  
  
Carm 


	15. Everything Is Happening

A/N-Well, the time has come! NEW CHAPTER TIME! Haha! Well, im very happy of the reviews im getting, so thanx!  
  
MANY THANX TO:  
  
~Loony Bout Lupin-thanx! Yeah, the "I hate school club". Its fantastic! Thankz again!  
  
~WolfMoon-HEY! Thank you lots! Hope you like the new chappie!  
  
~Jennifleur-yes, homework is terrible! Terrible I say! It ruins LIFE! Thanx!  
  
~crazyinluv-hey! I dunno bout all the sappy junk! Lol! Thanx!  
  
~Diana-Glad you like the story! Why can't you have an account? It's not FAIR! Lol! Thanx!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-Sad? Haha! Yeah, I know, it was, sort of. Thankz and enjoy!  
  
~Bombshell-thanx! Yeah, "I hate school club"! I think it will be a success! Lol  
  
~Anna L. Black-thankz! No, you haven't mentioned that you love it, I don't think. Lol. Enjoy!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-yes, here's more! Don't you worry! Thankz & enjoy!  
  
ON WE GO:  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
As the weekend passed, Lily Evans noticed improvement in James' behavior, a lot. He definitely wasn't the moron he used to be. Maybe the loss of his mother had helped him see that he couldn't get everything he always wanted. He was still distant and quiet, but he had quit being so annoying and bothersome.  
  
James and Lily didn't say much to each other during the passing days. A few "Hi" s here and there, but talking was pretty grim between them. James was willing to talk for hours and hours to Lily, telling secrets and just being together, but he knew very well that she would hate him for that.  
  
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were fooling around in the halls, sticking chewing gum on the portraits of famous Slytherins. They were having the time of their life, well, until Leslie came.  
  
Leslie strode down the hall in her most womanly fashion. James groaned. This definitely wasn't his idea of fun, hearing Leslie blabber.  
  
"Oh Jamie-poo! Where are you?" She giggled. She came up to James, pecked him on the cheek and attached herself to his arm. James turned his head to look at Sirius, who was gaping at Leslie.  
  
"Hey Leslie." James said dully. What on earth was with this girl? She just decided to turn up a week after her boyfriend's mother died, expecting lots of attention? No, not with James.  
  
"Would you introduce me to your ever so sweet friends, Jamie?" Leslie inquired, staring around, pausing on Sirius.  
  
"Yeah, sure," James said, rolling his eyes at Sirius, who was making goo- goo eyes at Leslie.  
  
"That's Remus Lupin," He said, pointing to him," And that's Peter Pettigrew," he continued pointing at (A/N-the piece of scum ;-)) the chubby blonde boy, "And this is Sir-"  
  
"I'm Sirius Black! Nice to meet you . . .Leslie?" Sirius interrupted, bowing in front of Leslie. She giggled that annoying laugh James despised.  
  
"Yes! Nice to meet you guys! Jamie-poo and I must go now, though!" Leslie said. James winced. "Jamie" and "Jamie-poo" were NOT his favorite names; that was for sure. And since when were Leslie and him going anywhere?  
  
Leslie pulled at James sleeve, begging him to come with her with big, brown eyes. He walked down the corridor with Leslie connected to him. He glanced back at his fellow Marauders with pleading eyes before he disappeared around a corner.  
  
Sirius looked at Remus and Peter.  
  
"She was, well, okay." He said.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes.  
  
"You couldn't stop staring at her, Padfoot ole lad!" He said truthfully.  
  
"Okay, okay! She was gorgeous, but Prongs doesn't seem to like her very much!" Sirius retorted.  
  
"Well, yesterday, when he came back from his meeting with Leslie, he said she had tortured him. From talking, I would guess." Remus said.  
  
"Oh well. But did you see James just now? He was so unexcited when Leslie came down the hallway. Then, when he left two minutes ago, he gave me this pleading look." Sirius contemplated.  
  
"He did not give that look to you! He gave it to me!" Peter argued, speaking for the first time since he had seen Leslie.  
  
Sirius snorted.  
  
"Nope! Sorry lad, he gave the look to me, and that's final!" He said back to Peter. They quarreled for minutes, while Remus shook his head, wondering about James.  
  
~*~  
  
Lily Evans and Audrey Trical were both in the Library, studying for the upcoming Transfiguration test. The Library was quite deserted, with only a few nerds and bookworms here and there (A/N-really, I meant no offence, but who would ruin there Sunday like that? Me, maybe, MAYBE I SAID!).  
  
Audrey, who was currently poring over a huge book, sighed.  
  
"Lils, I'm going to go do something else besides this, okay?" She said quietly, not wanting Madame Nectar's wrath come near her.  
  
Lily looked up. Yes, this was important, but it was also boring.  
  
"Yeah. I understand." She replied, gazing back down at her book. She heard Audrey get up from her seat, and walk away silently from the table.  
  
After about ten minutes, Lily packed up as well; because now it was so ghastly boring that Lily couldn't stand it. She walked out of the Library, preparing to find and ask Audrey if she wanted to grab something to eat.  
  
Going around a crook in the stretch of vast hallway, Lily gasped at what she saw. Bruce Davies was talking softly to Audrey, tugging at her arm. Audrey laughed at something he had said, and gave in to his tugging, and started to walk down the dim hallway with him.  
  
Lily groaned and ran after her friend. She couldn't let Davies treat Audrey the way he did with her. Nope, sorry, not with Lily.  
  
"Leave her alone, Davies!" Lily yelled at his face as she jogged up to them.  
  
Davies turned around, letting go of Audrey's arm.  
  
"Ah, Lily! Lily, my dear! What a pleasure to see you!" Davies said in a deep, amused voice.  
  
"Yeah, and it's Evans to you Davies." Lily said. She grabbed the back of Audrey's shirt.  
  
"Hey, Aud, why don't you go get us both something to eat?" Lily said firmly, steering her around.  
  
"Um, alright." Audrey said, staring between Davies and her friend. Then she turned her heel, and strode away from the two.  
  
"So, Lily. What brings you to our end of the castle?" Davies asked, leaning casually against the wall.  
  
Lily looked around more closely to where she was. Indeed, she was near the Slytherins Common Room entrance. Lily remained composed and said, "Oh, you know, the usual. Trying to save my friends from going any where near you."  
  
"Haha! You are a funny young woman, Lily!" Davies said as he chuckled. Lily rolled her eyes. This guy would probably fall for anything.  
  
"Perhaps you should take a shower, Davies. You ARE stinking up the whole hallway." She said. Lily saw Davies mouth twitch as he smelt the air around him.  
  
"Well, maybe you are as foolish as you are funny, Lily." He said, glowering down at her small figure. He grabbed her arm and dragged her down the corridor.  
  
Lily whimpered as her yanked her away from the way she came. She kicked him, and punched him, but no success.  
  
"LET ME GO!" Lily yelled, hoping to God someone would hear.  
  
~*~  
  
Leslie and James were having a very good time, the best of their lives. Not. Leslie was, but James undeniably bored and miserable. He was forced to listen to all of her talking, which was all a load of manure. She talked about her new hairstyle, her new manicures, and how she broke her nail that week, for about an hour.  
  
"-It broke, and oh Jamie, it was dreadful!" She cried.  
  
When James didn't respond, she turned to look at him. Her beautiful hazel looked at him, but they seemed disenchanted, and her bouncy, curly brown hair was gleaming from the reflection of the torches.  
  
"Jamie? Jamie-poo?" She said gently.  
  
"Hmmm?" James responded. Right now, he wasn't with Leslie. He was daydreaming of the redhead who had comforted him, who had those brilliant green eyes, that silky red hair . . .  
  
"Oh. What is it Jamie?" Leslie asked sounding concerned.  
  
James snapped out of his thoughts. He was going to tell her that he didn't like her, but he liked someone else. Lily. The name echoed in his head. Lately, he couldn't stop thinking of her. He always went off into Lily- land, especially when he was bored.  
  
"Maybe it's love. But that's impossible. I'm only 15, almost 16. You can't be in love at that age! Or can you?" James thought confusedly.  
  
"Jamie? What IS it?" Leslie begged. She stopped in the middle of her step to get James' attention, which it did.  
  
"Oh, okay. Leslie, I don't li-" He started, but was interrupted by a scream.  
  
"LET ME GO!"  
  
James' heart froze. That was unmistakably Lily Evans' voice. He was certain of it.  
  
James sprinted away towards the direction the scream had come from. This was the second time he had been on a "scream search".  
  
After a few minutes of racing down corridors, he smashed right into a wall. He groaned and rolled off the floor, only to look up into the gray eyes of Bruce Davies.  
  
"Why hello, Potter." Davies sneered. James saw that the brute was holding on to Lily. She was struggling to get away from Davies' grasp of her arm.  
  
"Jame-Potter!" She called to him.  
  
James stood up and brushed himself off.  
  
"Hello Davies. What are you doing here?" James said, looking at Lily, who was giving her weird looks.  
  
"Well, I have EVERY right to be here, seeing as it's the Slytherin entrance." Davies grunted, staring down at James.  
  
James was tall, but nowhere near as tall as Bruce Davies. Davies has tons of muscle and bulk, while James was just normal for a guy.  
  
"Oh well, you have no right taking Lily here," He gestured to the fiery redhead," where she doesn't want to go, nasty thug" James said.  
  
The hallway was silent for a couple of seconds. Then Lily gave one tough tug and Davies clutch was defeated.  
  
Lily ran to James' side and pushed him down the hall, trying to make him run. She knew that Davies would be infuriated and would want revenge.  
  
"James! Hurry up! He's going to kill you!" Lily panted, shoving James along the corridor. James came to his senses. He started running as well, and fast.  
  
Bruce Davies stood at the end of the stone hallway, shaking his fist.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-okay, hoped ya liked it! It was DOUBLE as long as it usually is, so yeah! Thank you guys!  
  
Subject for "I hate school club" (open to all): How much homework do you get per night?  
  
Haha!  
  
~Carm~ 


	16. All She's Got

A/N-This one is long!!! Yay! At least for me!  
  
My thankies go to:  
  
~crazyinluv-Thanx! I feel for you! Homework is stupid and useless!  
  
~Alcapacien/Quiggles-lol! Thankz and enjoy!  
  
~Day-Dreaming Rhiannon-Glad you "love" it! Yes, homework is so dumb! I get about 2 hours worth, which I know, is A LONG time! Enjoy!  
  
~SlippersRfuzzy-yeah, you do get lots of homework! It really sux! Why oh why do they HAVE to give it??? Thanx and I hope you like it!  
  
~Anna L. Black-haha! Yeah! Read and rock on!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-im so happy u like it! Please read and enjoy!  
  
~Bombshell-lol! Yeah, homework homework homework! That's all there is in this world! PLEASE (whoops, sudden inspiration) enjoy the chappie!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-I know! Leslie IS annoying! You see lotz of her in this chappie! MWAHAHAHA!  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-NO HOMEWORK?? Not fair! Okay, well, ENJOY!  
  
~WolfMoon-Whoa, that's early, at least for me! Hope you like the new chappie!  
  
~Jennifleur-Yeah, I know! Homework is ssssooooo stupid! Enjoy the next chappie!  
  
Thank you everyone!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
After running down many hallways and corridors, Lily Evans and James Potter finally slowed to a walk. They were safe as long as they weren't near the huge thug, Bruce Davies.  
  
Lily glanced at James, feeling a bit shy. He had saved her from being in a lot of trouble with the Slytherin, but he was still a big jerk and an "enemy". Her feelings for him had changed over time, in a good way some would have said, and some would have thought it in a bad way. He had brought an end to being so annoying and self-centered. At least around her.  
  
"Um, Potter?" Lily said, breaking the silence between them. She didn't meet his eyes when he looked at her.  
  
"Yeah?" James replied, a little hopefulness in his voice. Maybe she was going to admit her love to him! Or she could even ask for his hand. Ah, the possibilities.  
  
"Thanks for . . .for saving me." Lily said lamely, looking at the dull, gray stone walls. Geez, that came out well.  
  
"Oh, that's alright," He said with disappointment, "I guess I felt it my duty to be the savior." He grinned. He'd probably do anything for Lily Evans.  
  
She turned her sparkling green eyes towards his handsome face. His grin seemed to be contagious since she gave him a small one herself.  
  
"Well, thanks." She said again. James shrugged and went on with walking.  
  
As they were nearing the Gryffindor Common Room entrance, James ahead of Lily, a curly brown haired girl came rushing up to them, or rather, James.  
  
"Oh! Jamie-poo! I was looking ALL OVER for you! Where were you?" Leslie asked, grabbing his arm and clinging to it as if he was going to blow away.  
  
"I had some business to do." James replied, prying Leslie's delicate fingers off his arm with great distaste.  
  
"Oh alright then! So, what are you doing tonight?" She said in her most sweet and lovable voice. Leslie, being too thick, hadn't even noticed the stunned looking Lily who was gawking at the couple.  
  
Lily never thought she'd be jealous of any other girl. But here she was, staring hard at Leslie, jealous of her as can be. The bouncy girl had excellent looks that Lily thought she would never ever be able to achieve, and she was skinny, which Lily was but not enough to satisfy her. Only one thing that she wasn't jealous of: Leslie's personality.  
  
Lily would have by no means guessed that she had those kinds of feelings for James. She wanted to be the one who was cared for, the one to be loved. But Lily hadn't noticed James' expressions, though. Looks of disgust and annoyance covered his face.  
  
"Tonight? Hmm, I have plans with my friends." He lied, staring straight ahead. A flop of his messy, wild black hair fell in front of his face. Leslie reached up to it out of his hazel eyes, but James turned away.  
  
"Jamie? What's wrong?" Leslie asked, concerned.  
  
"Leslie," James sighed," I don't like you, okay?" This was definitely not what she had expected. Her face looked frozen, then she smiled brightly.  
  
"That was SO funny, Jamie!" Leslie exclaimed, pretending to laugh.  
  
James winced as she laughed. It didn't sound too good. He stopped. So did Leslie.  
  
"No, I mean it. We're over." He said firmly, gazing into her clear blue eyes. She was gaping. It took her a few moments for her to realize that he was serious.  
  
"O-Okay. I don't understand why you did this, but you'll hate yourself for doing it." Leslie stuttered, striding away from him, furiously. Down a ways, Lily and James heard her burst into tears, muttering about bad boys and regrets.  
  
"She should join Bruce Davies." Said Lily. She walked up to James' side, again. He looked up from the floor and met her brilliant eyes. She blushed and looked away.  
  
They continued to stroll. When they were passed the Great Hall, James spoke all of a sudden, under an inspiration.  
  
"Your much better." He said simply.  
  
Lily blinked but didn't say anything. She didn't know whether or not to take him sincerely. She noticed, though, that he didn't just use-and-dump Leslie; he had a reason. Leslie was different, Lily had sensed. There was something weird about her. Something evil. Lily shook herself mentally.  
  
"Was she your girlfriend?" She asked. James nodded with an angry face.  
  
"She was pure evil. And annoying, not to mention." He said through clenched teeth. He started to fiddle with the sleeve of his cloak.  
  
Lily knew he was exaggerating, but the look on his face showed much hatred.  
  
"Ah, maybe not that bad, but I know what you mean." Lily said understandingly.  
  
James beat his fist on the wall, not being able to contain his fury.  
  
"Ja-Potter! Control yourself!" Lily said, gripping his arm to stop him.  
  
He looked at his arm that she was holding and then to Lily. His infuriated expression suddenly changed into a grin. Lily noticed what she was doing, and drew her hand away quickly, flushing.  
  
"It's alright, Lily!" James laughed, throwing his arm casually over her shoulder.  
  
Lily said nothing, and did nothing either. As soon as the two arrived in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, James took his arm off of her.  
  
The Fat Lady looked at them both suspiciously and demanded the password.  
  
"Smelly feet." James said, smiling. It had been Sirius' invention.  
  
The Fat Lady nodded, and the golden frame swung open to reveal the Gryffindor Common Room. Lily and James entered.  
  
"Seems the Fat Lady has gained some weight!" James joked, sitting down on a sofa in front of the dying fire.  
  
The read and gold room was deserted since everyone was in bed. Lily laughed and surprised James by sitting next to him. She stretched herself out on the overstuffed couch. Her feet dangled off the armrest and her head was resting on the cushion.  
  
"So, tell me about yourself." James said, leaning back on the burgundy pillow, gazing intently at the left over ashes that were glowing orange- red.  
  
"I don't want to bore you to death, though." Lily stated.  
  
"Trust me, you won't" James said, grinning.  
  
"Oh fine, then." Lily gave in.  
  
She told of her family, her younger years, and of all her muggle friends that she had to leave. She also let him know of her much hated sister, Petunia, who was getting married soon to someone who was almost the match of Bruce Davies. James had to laugh at that.  
  
When Lily had talked about things as much as she would let him know, there was a silence. It wasn't one of those uneasy, bashful silences; it was just a comfortable one.  
  
The silence lasted until Lily fell asleep right then and there on the couch. James thought she looked uncomfortable, and put her head in his lap. He stared at her happy, calm face, and her bright red hair that was fanned out behind her. After a few attentive minutes of gazing at Lily, James also fell into a slumber.  
  
****  
  
Lily Evans awoke, finding her head on something warm and soft. She turned and found James sleeping peacefully.  
  
Judging by the sky outside the window, Lily figured it was around breakfast time. She got up quietly and slipped though the portrait hole.  
  
That was the second time she had slept next to James Potter. What was with her? She hated him.  
  
"Maybe I don't hate him as much as I really thought I did." Lily thought.  
  
She arrived in the Great Hall a few minutes later. At the moment, she didn't care what she looked like. She was happy, and that was all that mattered.  
  
The Hall was empty except for a few Slytherins who were talking inaudibly. Lily sat at her usual spot and helped herself to some pieces of bacon and toast.  
  
Little by little, people filtered in. Lily just sat on the bench, absorbed in bewildered thoughts of James Potter.  
  
****  
  
James felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. He groaned and rolled off the sofa, onto the floor.  
  
"What?" He moaned, not opening his eyes.  
  
"Come on mate! It's eight thirty! You need to wakey-wake now!" Said Sirius Black, annoyed at his best friend.  
  
"Why now? You disturbed my sleep!" James mumbled, still lying on the floor, eyes closed shut.  
  
"Well, I couldn't help it, you see. I just HAD to!" Sirius grinned, kicking his friend lightly.  
  
"Yeah right, Padfoot. You wanted to interrupt my beauty sleep!" James groaned.  
  
"You know, James, that classes start in five minutes?" Another male voice asked calmly.  
  
James cracked one eye open to look at Remus Lupin.  
  
"You're just joking." He said.  
  
"No he's not, Prongsie!" Sirius jumped in.  
  
"Oh crap!" James yelled, shooting up off the carpeted flooring.  
  
The three Marauders raced to their first class, Herbology. All the class, including the teacher, looked up at the boys. They grinned.  
  
The class started off boring, as normal. The instructor explained Mogweeds and how to pot and plant them. Then gave the students the actual thing.  
  
Mogweeds were all leaves, it seemed. There was no visible stem, flowers or seeds.  
  
James stomach growled. He hadn't any breakfast so he was pretty hungry.  
  
"Professor?" James called down the long, dirty table.  
  
"What Potter?" Seedwing answered. He didn't like the Marauders very much because they were just burdensome trouble.  
  
"Are these leaves edible?" James asked, grinning widely. The class laughed hysterically. He was starving, and wanted food soon.  
  
"What do you think, Mr. Potter?" Professor Seedwing said, glaring at the black haired boy.  
  
"Oh, that's what I thought." James replied, and went back to work, planning some pranks on enemies.  
  
****  
  
When all the classes were over, all the different houses went into their appropriate Common Room. Except for one person.  
  
The Marauders were huddled in the corner, discussing new pranks, while the other Gryffindors did homework.  
  
"No Padfoot! He won't be scared of boxers!" James was arguing.  
  
"Yes! I swear! Last year, I put boxers in his bed-just to try it out, you know-and he screamed on and on and on and on and on and-" Sirius explained, but was interrupted.  
  
"We get it! But I do think Snape's afraid of trees!" James said excitedly.  
  
"Trees, Prongs?" Remus asked doubtfully, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Trees! I saw him once . . ." James told many things that proved that Snape was scared of trees. Peter sat there nodding, while Sirius added his comments. Remus just shook his head, but listened none-the-less.  
  
After ten o'clock, everyone in Gryffindor was in their dormitories. The Marauders were talking loudly, annoying the other guys in their dorm to death.  
  
Finally, Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were asleep.  
  
****  
  
James Potter was awoken by something moving. Something was just outside his drapes, shuffling around. He stayed still, listening intently. What in the world was it?  
  
His curtains were pulled apart. A slim, dark figure was standing there, breathing steadily.  
  
"Jamie-poo?" It said.  
  
James jumped.  
  
"Leslie?" He asked the shape.  
  
"Yes?" She answered. James groaned and rolled to the other side of the bed. Why was SHE here?  
  
"Jamie? I just wanted to apologize. Can we get back together now?" Leslie said, answering his question.  
  
"No. Now go away." James said dully, his back facing her.  
  
"Oh, but why not? We are so perfect!" She begged, touching his shoulder with her hand. He moved away from her grip.  
  
"Because. I don't like you at all. You're annoying, stupid, self-centered and everything else that's bad!" James explained, angrily.  
  
"You don't?" Leslie asked, hurt by his words.  
  
"Yes, I don't. Can you PLEASE go away now?" James groaned, shoving his face into his pillow. Why couldn't she just get that through her dense head? He had asked her twice already.  
  
"Jamie-poo! I thought you loved me!" Leslie pleaded, ignoring his question.  
  
"Nope. I never did. Go away." He said.  
  
"But-" She began.  
  
"No! I don't want to hear what you have to say! OUT!" He yelled. She didn't budge.  
  
James picked her up and pushed her out his dormitory's door. He locked it with a charm and made his way back to his bed.  
  
"Finally. Sleep." James mumbled before drifting off into dreams of a brilliant redhead.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-Well, that took awhile! Please review!  
  
For the "I really really hate homework" club (Anna L. Black's idea!)- What is your least favorite subject?  
  
Don't have to answer it, it's just for FuN!  
  
CaRm 


	17. This Is Crazy

A/N-I'm sorry I didn't update sooner! It was the raccoon's fault! Yes! It was! Anyways.  
  
Many, many thanks to:  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-thankz! Sorry I didn't uppie soon! Really! I am! Hee hee! Hope you like it!  
  
~Day-Dreaming Rhiannon-No flying pigs! No flying pigs! Please! Have mercy! Lol!  
  
~Bombshell-Yes! I did review, erm, you know what! Actually, I really enjoyed it! Thanx and enjoy!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-thanx! Yeah, I hate essays too! Enjoy!  
  
~WolfMoon-Yep! He can think about Lily, well, maybe! You'll see!  
  
~Anne-Janet-Yes! Of course you can join! Anyone can! I'm glad you like it! Danke (hee hee! Is that how you spell it?)  
  
~Anna L. Black-I guess James was a LITTLE cruel, but not really! **grins**  
  
~slippersRfuzzy-Thankz! Lol! I know, my teacher gives WAY too much work!  
  
~Agloechen-yes I forgive you! Turkey? Recently, my dad went close to there! Did you like it? Hope you like the new chappie!  
  
~crazyinluv-hee hee! Yeah. Mostly a subject sux is because the teacher does, or the work is too hard! Enjoy!  
  
~Amoeba Queen-glad you love it! No, it's not better than Pandora's Box! Nuh- un! Please update your story soooooonnnnnn!  
  
~Sunkissed-Moonlight-I wouldn't want you to die! Lol! I hope you enjoy the new chappie!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-yeah! I love long to! Glad you liked it! And enjoy!  
  
~lghtAngel-me? Good author? Yeah, in la-la land! Hope you enjoy!  
  
~Diana-Leslie got into there by being thick I guess! Haha! Lets just say . . .she USED people to get in. Enjoy! I hope . . .  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO, DUN DUN DUN! AMOEBA QUEEN AND LGHTANGEL! That is because they added me to their favs list!  
  
Read and rock on:  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
James Potter woke up early. As it was Saturday, there was no need to get ready for classes, or anything else for that matter.  
  
He slipped his clothes on and made his way down to the Common Room. There was a slender, dark shape huddled on the biggest red couch.  
  
James approached it in caution. As he neared the figure, he heard sobs, coming from the body. At least it wasn't dead.  
  
"Hello?" He asked slowly.  
  
The girl, it seemed, turned over and showed her face.  
  
" 'Morning, Jamie." She said, sounding a bit depressed.  
  
"LESLIE?" James yelped, backing away from her.  
  
"Yes, it's me." Leslie replied, staring at James with interest.  
  
"What ARE you doing here? In the Gryffindor Common Room?" He inquired, still backing away.  
  
"Oh-I-I just stayed here, on the floor, when you threw me out." She stuttered, glaring for the first time at James.  
  
James shook his head. Would the girl EVER understand? Probably not.  
  
"Get out now!" He said, with no hesitation.  
  
"Nnnnooo! I want to stay here with you!" Leslie begged.  
  
"There is no doubt that you will be found, in the WRONG Common Room! Go somewhere else!" James said firmly. He grabbed Leslie by the arm and dragged her to the Fat Lady's portrait hole.  
  
"Go away Leslie. We're done." He said, pushing her out.  
  
"No! Jamie-poo! I still love you! I always did!" Leslie bawled.  
  
James rolled his eyes. She was so pathetic!  
  
"Well I don't and never did. So, go away and go find someone else who you love." He said bluntly.  
  
"But-but-Jamie! Please, honey bun-" Leslie began, but was shut off by James slamming the frame in her face.  
  
****  
  
Lily Evans was walking down to breakfast with Audrey Trical, when a brown, curly haired girl came up, starling her.  
  
"Hello!" Leslie said cheerily.  
  
Lily looked confused. Wasn't this the girl that Potter was going out with?  
  
"Er-hi." Lily responded uneasily.  
  
"My name is Leslie! What's yours?" The brunette asked, twirling her hair around and around, making Lily get irritated.  
  
"Lily. Lily Evans." She answered, looking at the girl curiously.  
  
Leslie smiled sweetly and said, "Pleased to meet you! I just wanted to talk to you about James."  
  
Lily frowned.  
  
"Potter?" She asked, waiting for Leslie's answer.  
  
"Yes! That is precisely the person that I would like to talk about." Leslie replied, still smiling innocently.  
  
"Why?" Audrey spoke up, crossing her arms. The mysterious girl was pretty, but suspicious as well.  
  
"Oh-my dear! I didn't see you there!" Leslie exclaimed brightly, proceeding to shake Audrey's hand.  
  
Lily and Audrey exchanged a puzzled glance. Leslie was definitely strange.  
  
"What about Potter? You wanted to ask me something?" Lily questioned, raising her eyebrow skeptically.  
  
"Yes, yes! I was merely going to ask what kind of status are you with him?" Leslie said, looking at the red head's expression.  
  
Lily thought this insane. What did Leslie care? James and her were . . .not friends, peers perhaps?  
  
"We are simply peers, I guess I would say." Lily said, wondering intently on when Leslie would leave her alone.  
  
"Oh, all right. What did you-" Leslie began, disappointed.  
  
"Uh, Lily and I must go now!" Audrey cut her short.  
  
Lily nodded enthusiastically, and the two friends took off down the hall, heading towards the school grounds.  
  
****  
  
"La la la la la la!" Sirius Black sung on the top of his breath, attracting much attention.  
  
"Sirius! Shut up!" James snapped.  
  
The Marauders were walking down to the sun-drenched grounds, where the rest of the school was bathing and laying around on the green grass.  
  
"No! Singing is lovely!" Sirius retorted, poking his tongue out at James.  
  
"Not when you sing!" He said, sticking his tongue out as well.  
  
"Yes! I'm a PRO-FESS-IONAL singer!" Sirius explained to his best friend as if he was a two-year-old.  
  
James rolled his eyes and replied, "Yeah, a professional loser!"  
  
Sirius pretended to be hurt and put his hand on his heart.  
  
"Oh! James! What a terrible thing to sa-" Sirius cried.  
  
"Shut up BOTH of you!" Remus said loudly.  
  
James and Sirius obeyed, reluctantly though. Every couple of minutes, they glared at each other.  
  
Finally, the Marauders came to the large front doors of the amazing Hogwarts castle. They passed through them, and found an empty spot of grass.  
  
Lily and Audrey were sitting right next to them. Lily was writing in a book, and her friend was shredding grass blades to pieces.  
  
James lay back on the patch of grass, watching Lily closely. He noticed how the sun shone on her copper-colored hair, making it glow. Her hair seemed so . . . soft and silky. So much that James wanted to reach up and touch it.  
  
Meanwhile, Sirius was gazing at Audrey with interest. She was just looking at her surroundings, and ripped grass to tiny pieces. Nobody would think of Sirius as a romantic person, but he was. A bit. A tiny bit. Okay, a tiny tiny bit.  
  
Audrey had a dark complexion. Her hair was a deep brown, and her eyes were a brown color too. She definitely wasn't thin either, but she exciting and motivating. At least to some people.  
  
Remus hopped up, pulling Peter Pettigrew with him. He mentioned to Sirius that they were leaving. Sirius tilted his head to the side, raising his eyebrow.  
  
Remus scowled.  
  
"Come on Sirius! Let James have his 'time' with Evans!" He hissed.  
  
Sirius grinned and helped himself off the ground. The three Marauders left quietly so as to James not noticing them gone. And he didn't; he was too absorbed in watching Lily.  
  
Audrey tapped Lily's shoulder.  
  
"I'm going inside, all right?" She asked. Lily nodded.  
  
After a few minutes, Lily looked up, feeling someone's eyes on her. It was a weird sense of feeling.  
  
Her clear, pure green eyes met Potter's hazel ones. He grinned sheepishly, got up from his spot and plopped next to Lily.  
  
"Hello!" He said cheerfully.  
  
Lily smiled, "Hi!"  
  
Many students were looking at the pair curiously. Lily Evans and James Potter were sworn enemies! Now the two were sitting rather, er, close together.  
  
"How is your Transfiguration coming along?" He asked inquiringly.  
  
"Fine. How about your Charms?" Lily replied.  
  
James lay down, hands behind his head.  
  
"All right, I guess. What were you writing?" He said, pointing to the little book beside Lily.  
  
"Oh-nothing." She answered, hurriedly covering up the feather- light book with her cloak.  
  
"Oh come on! Let me see!" James pleaded, reaching for the bundle.  
  
"No! Potteeerrrrr!" Lily shrieked, slapping his hand away from her cloak.  
  
When Lily's hand briefly touched his, James felt a sort of jolt in his arm. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced, and he wondered if Lily had felt it too. He shook himself mentally. It was probably some growing pain, or maybe he was going to have a heart attack! No no, that was the LEFT arm, not the right.  
  
"What?" James asked, putting on a grin.  
  
"DON'T look in my diar-er, notebook!" Lily covered up, but not quick enough.  
  
"That's what it is! Your diary! Can I see it?" James begged, doing his famous puppy eyes.  
  
"Sure." Lily smiled; holding it up so James could only see the cover.  
  
James stuck out his tongue.  
  
"I wanna see the WHOLE thing. What you WROTE!" He pronounced each word slowly.  
  
"No way!" Lily shook her head, putting the journal back, "It's all girly stuff."  
  
"Yeah, so?" James asked.  
  
"So you can't see it."  
  
"But I want to!"  
  
"Well, your not! It's mine!"  
  
"Excuse me . . .Lily?" Said a familiar voice to both teenagers.  
  
The beautiful brunette (A/N-see how I don't make her blonde! **jumps up and down**) glowered down upon them, her curly hair falling in front of her shoulders. Lots would have said she was an angry angel, but to others who knew her, they would say she was the delirious devil.  
  
"Yes?" Lily said coldly.  
  
"Remember what I asked you early today?" Leslie asked, sneering unpleasantly.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"You weren't telling the truth. You lied!" The fallen 'angel' stated.  
  
"What? Does that offend that cult of yours?" Lily shrugged, gesturing to the group of girls behind Leslie.  
  
Leslie put her hands on her hips and began heatedly, "That's not-"  
  
"My God, Leslie! Go AWAY already!" James interrupted.  
  
"Jamie! Stay out of this!" Leslie turned her head towards the only boy.  
  
"I'm not in anything! You annoy Lily; you annoy me! Go away for the last time!" He responded, clearly very annoyed.  
  
Lots of girls approached Leslie's side, glaring at Lily and James.  
  
James laughed, "Did you bring your army with you?"  
  
"Obviously," Lily huffed, getting up, "I'm going."  
  
James nodded, grinning broadly.  
  
"I'll come too!" He said, catching up with the temperamental, red haired girl.  
  
Leslie yelled at them both to come back, but they ignored her.  
  
"We seem to get into a lot of trouble with people, don't we?" James smiled slyly at Lily.  
  
Lily laughed, throwing her head back.  
  
"Yes, it seems so." She replied.  
  
"I officially hate Leslie." James said simply.  
  
"Yeah, me too." Lily agreed.  
  
James looked at her in wonder. Lily wasn't really the person you would expect to be hateful, but he guessed it was possible.  
  
The two stayed silent. Lily noticed that James hadn't been asking her out lately, or being such a prat around her. She liked him better this way, much better.  
  
James glanced down at his Wizard Watch.  
  
"It's already lunch time!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Oh well, I better go meet Audrey then. She's probably expecting me." Lily stated.  
  
"All right. Sirius and Remus are waiting for me . . .I hope." James said.  
  
He hadn't seen his fellow Marauders since they arrived at the grounds.  
  
"Bye then!" Lily said, walking through the doors, towards the Great Hall.  
  
"Bye!" James yelled over the noise in the Entrance Hall. But she was already gone.  
  
****  
  
James gazed longingly at Lily at lunch. She was talking animatedly to Audrey and another girl he didn't recognize. She was so, so pretty . . . and-  
  
"Prongsie! PRONGSIE!" Sirius Black waved his hand in front of James' face.  
  
"What?" He snapped irritably.  
  
"I'd like you to meet my new girlfriend! Come on James! Stop going all, creepy and stuff." Sirius said importantly.  
  
James rolled his eyes and asked, "Fine! Where is she?"  
  
"Right here," Sirius put his arm around the girl, "James, meet Leslie Seders."  
  
James gaped at his best friend and the brown haired girl. Leslie?  
  
"Oh-my-God." James said slowly in disgust.  
  
"What?" Sirius asked, confused.  
  
"Padfoot, she was my girlfriend just last night!" He hissed, "She's pure evil!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sirius said with bewilderment in his tone.  
  
"She's not what you expect her to be!" James said, glancing at Leslie.  
  
"I'm not invisible you know!" She said, sounding a bit angry, but sweet none-the-less.  
  
Sirius turned around to look at her.  
  
"Yes, I know you aren't." He grinned.  
  
Leslie smiled and took his hand.  
  
"Lets go, Siri-poo!" She said excitedly, glaring at James when Sirius turned his back to her.  
  
James gagged. Siri-poo? Come on!  
  
"All right!" Sirius agreed; casting a puzzled look at James at he strode off with Leslie.  
  
James sighed. His best friend had no idea what he was getting into. Leslie was a disease with no cure. And it was true.  
  
James felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Lily Evans slid into the seat next to him.  
  
"Hey. I saw Black walk off with the devil." She smiled.  
  
"Yep. Sirius is now her new boyfriend. I warned him though." James replied grimly.  
  
"Really? So quick?" Lily asked, furrowing her forehead.  
  
"Um-hum," He mumbled, "And she's calling him 'Siri-poo' now."  
  
Lily laughed quietly.  
  
"He's in for it."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Lily looked him through her green eyes. He looked pretty vulnerable at the moment. He slumped forward on the bench, putting his face in his hands. She thought it sweet that he was so concerned for his best friend. At least he wasn't thinking of himself.  
  
Lily saw Audrey waving at her.  
  
"I gotta go! Bye!" She said, patting James on the back.  
  
He looked up and smiled.  
  
"Bye."  
  
She smiled back at him. She smiled the smile saved especially for him. Him, James Potter.  
  
! @#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-hope you liked it! It sort of took awhile **cough cough** but it's here!  
  
I really really hate homework club-  
  
Thanx to everyone who answered the question!!!!  
  
Results (haha! Sounds so formal!) Math-3 Computer Studies-1 English-2 French-1 Science (all kinds)-3 Religion-1  
  
Next question! - How many teachers do you have?  
  
Really, if you don't want to answer it, don't! (If you have any question/poll ideas, tell me! My mind is slipping . . .)  
  
Thankz, ~CaRm! ~ 


	18. Something More

A/N-I know! I know! I haven't updated in ages, 2 weeks! But, like every other person, I'm busy and in a play. So, it takes awhile to update! I try to make you guys happy by writing long chappies! Also, thanks for all of the reviews! They make me carry on!  
  
So, then, many cookies to:  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-thanks! You don't know how happy it makes me to hear that you like the way I write! Means lotz!  
  
~crazyinluv-I'm so sorry that you hate 9/10 of your teachers! Hee hee! It's the same here! Thank you though! I always look forward for your reviews!  
  
~lghtAngel-thanks! I'm very happy that you like my story! Please enjoy!  
  
~Anne-Janet-yes, Leslie is VERY disgusting! She's in this chappie too, but not too much thankfully! I hope you enjoy!  
  
~Wolfmoon-thanks! I always love to get your reviews! Thank you, and enjoy!  
  
~Sunkissed-Moonlight-hee hee! If you seriously want Sirius, you'll love this chappie! Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-thank YoU! Glad you thought it reallie reallie cute! Haha! Enjoy!  
  
~bombshell-devil won't die. Boo-hoo! Thank you for liking it. I think you'll be happy with this chappie, Leslie will be- AH I can tell! Read to find out!  
  
~Jennifleur-yes! I agree fully! Leslie IS freaky! And stupid! Thanks for the review! Enjoy! (I hope) PS-I like your story lots!  
  
~Agloechen-Ah! Hello! Favorite chappie??? Good, that must mean it was okay! Hope you like this one too! (I really need to go to Turkey!)  
  
~Anna L. Black-Sirius must be attracted to morons, isn't he? Thanks a lot for the review! I always look forward to your review!  
  
~slippersRfuzzy-thanks! I guess their alter egos do count ;-) enjoy!  
  
~Diana-yuperz, Siri-poo! What an UGLY nickname, eh? I have 5 teachers! Thanks though! Hope you enjoy!  
  
THANKS EVERYONE!!!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
"Lily! Lily, wake up!" A voice hissed urgently in Lily Evans ear.  
  
She moaned and rolled over in her bed, clearly not wanting to get up.  
  
"What is it, Audrey?" She mumbled, stuffing her head into her pillow. Lily would rather be suffocated than be woken up in the early hours of the morning.  
  
"Something's outside the door! I don't know what it is!" Audrey whispered worriedly, tugging at her friend's sleeve.  
  
Lily didn't know what to think. Was this some sort of joke, or was it real? A murderous man had been on the loose for a couple of months, but he couldn't possibly be in Hogwarts School with Dumbledore roaming around. His name was Voldemort, the same guy who had murdered James Potter's mother. His name was all over the Daily Prophet and other magazines, and he always caused articles of death and destruction.  
  
"Are you serious?" Lily asked quietly, sitting up slowly in her creaky bed.  
  
Audrey nodded fiercely.  
  
Lily swung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped off it easily. She creeped towards the door on tiptoes, not really preparing to see much, or anything for that matter. She pulled open the door, but nothing was there.  
  
Audrey slinked over to Lily carefully.  
  
"Nothing's is there." Lily said reassuringly.  
  
Then, abruptly, a dark shape walked stealthily away from the two girls. It was a matter of moments before it completely disappeared around the stone corner wall.  
  
"Wha-what was that?" Audrey stuttered, still looking at the spot where the figure was. Lily shut the door firmly, and walked back to her bed. She pulled the sheets around her and tried to speak calmly to Audrey, who had already curled up in her bed, the sheets covered over her head.  
  
"It was probably Black coming back from his date with Leslie." Lily replied, laughing nervously at her friend, who was hidden under the comforter.  
  
"Sirius had a date with someone?" Audrey asked, forehead furrowed with confusion as she came out from under her covers.  
  
Lily clasped a hand to her mouth. She shouldn't have let that slip. Sure Sirius Black fooled with girls, but a girlfriend wasn't really his big thing. If you had Sirius as a boyfriend, then that was a huge honor. Lily knew that Audrey had a crush on him, like every other normal schoolgirl, but it would hurt her to know that he had picked a girlfriend.  
  
"No! Not Sirius Black. I meant, er, John Black!" Lily covered up quickly, hoping Audrey would fall for it.  
  
She looked at her sceptically, not really believing her best friend.  
  
"Are you sure that it wasn't Sirius Black that you were talking about?" Audrey asked doubtfully.  
  
"Positive." Lily lied. She fell back on to her pillow, dozing off to sleep immediately.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
James yawned as he got out of bed. It seemed like Sirius, Remus and Peter had already left for breakfast.  
  
"What friends they are!" James muttered to himself as he slipped his shirt over his head. For a few minutes, he struggled to fasten his tie (A/N-your VERY lucky that I didn't say 'tie his tie'!), but in the end, he just left it hanging around his neck. He knew that all the girls, except a few perhaps, went wild when he did that. He had no idea why, though.  
  
James walked down the stairs, heading straight to the Common Room. Now that Leslie was Sirius' beloved, and beautiful, girlfriend, he dreaded eating in the Great Hall. Maybe today he would simply not have breakfast, just to avoid that devil of a woman.  
  
James flopped onto a couch, arms stretched out. He closed his eyes, thinking of Lily and how completely amazing she was. Then his thoughts shifted to Sirius and Leslie, the newly made couple.  
  
A bang sounded from the portrait hole. James jumped up; surprised that someone was in the Common Room. Every Gryffindor went to breakfast, and then straight to class. Usually.  
  
"Oh! There you are, James!" A breathless voice exclaimed.  
  
James turned from his position to see Lily standing next to the Fat Lady's portrait. Her silky red hair was down, ending at her elbows. Her eyes glowed as she looked at him. She grinned and bounced over to him.  
  
"I was wondering where you were! When you didn't come down to breakfast, I guessed you were still here," Lily said, seating herself next to James, "What ARE you doing up here, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, nothing really. Just-er, laying around, I suppose." James answered lightly. He was amazing that she could even care where he was. An improvement at least.  
  
"Well, you'll never guess what happened!" She said, chuckling to herself.  
  
James looked confused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Peter Pettigrew, your friend, came in completely bald!" She laughed.  
  
"Pete?" James asked to confirm. Peter Pettigrew, his fellow Marauder, bald? Nah.  
  
"Yes! It was so funny! Too bad we didn't have a camera!" Lily sniggered.  
  
"I didn't think ole Pete would to such a thing, on purpose especially!" James said, bewildered.  
  
"But isn't it funny?" Lily asked, grinning.  
  
"Nope. Sorry."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"YES!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
James started to tickle Lily, making her shriek out loud. She laughed for ages, trying to free herself from James' grasp.  
  
"St-Stop!" She managed to get out, gasping for breath.  
  
The portrait hole opened, and in came in Sirius, Remus and the bald Peter following behind. Sirius' mouth dropped open wide when he saw Lily and James.  
  
He nudged Remus in the ribs, and still gaping, said, "Is that Lily Evans?"  
  
Remus nodded, surprised himself.  
  
"This isn't normal!" He exclaimed loudly, causing James to stop torturing Lily and look up.  
  
"Hey Sirius! Remus! Pet-" James stopped, getting up and staring at Peter.  
  
"Pe-Pete!" He stuttered, "Sorry, but WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" He yelled, making Peter back away into a sofa, making him fall on it.  
  
Sirius grabbed James' arm, whispering, "He's shocked too."  
  
James scowled and stood back from his friend.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" He snorted, still looking at Peter with amazement.  
  
"Is it?" Lily spoke up.  
  
All four boys turned their attention to her. It was the first thing she had said since they had entered, except with James.  
  
"Let him have the, er, haircut he wants." She added.  
  
"All right. But it's still absurd!" James agreed, holding his hand out to Peter to help him up off the couch.  
  
"Shall we go to the classes now?" Remus proposed.  
  
Everyone consented. They walked through the portrait hole and separated to their individual classes. Lily had Charms with James, lucky for him.  
  
As they were walking down the crazy, noisy and wild corridors together, James decided to ask Lily a question he hadn't asked her a long time.  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"Hmm?" She replied, staring straight ahead.  
  
The two had developed a comfortable friendship over the past few weeks. James was hesitant to break it, but he had wanted something more all along.  
  
"Will you go out with me?" He said hopefully.  
  
Lily's eyes flickered up to his, looking hurt.  
  
"I'm so sorry James. But I'm just not ready for something like that." She replied, looking at her feet.  
  
Disappointed, James patted her back awkwardly.  
  
"I'm sorry too."  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
The Marauders were eating dinner. Sirius was talking animatedly to James when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He stopped conversing and looked up to find Leslie smiling sugary down at him.  
  
"Oh! Les! What a terrib-great surprise!" He said, covering up his mistake quickly.  
  
James sniggered, along with Lily who was sitting next to him. It was clear that Sirius didn't like Leslie at all.  
  
"Siri-poo! Aren't you happy to see me?" She cried, squishing herself between Sirius and James. James rolled his eyes and muttered in his friend's ear, "Dump her."  
  
Sirius looked at James doubtfully.  
  
"Of course I am! You brighten my day!" He replied.  
  
Lily couldn't help but giggle. James laughed too.  
  
"What are you two sniggering about?" Leslie asked with her eyebrows raised high, almost disappearing into her envied brown hair.  
  
"Oh. Don't mind them! They just, er, drank to much pumpkin juice!" Sirius said reassuringly.  
  
"Right. Whatever you say, my little Siri-poo!"  
  
Audrey Trical looked at the brown-haired girl when she said 'Siri-poo'. Audrey sniggered, wondering if this was one of Sirius Black's fans, just looking for attention.  
  
"All right. Hey, Leslie honey, why don't we talk a walk?" Sirius then said, getting up suddenly, pulling a baffled Leslie up with him.  
  
Audrey sighed. Lily, her best friend, had known that Sirius had a girlfriend. Oh well, she would never get him, like lots of other girls. She brushed her brown hair out of her eyes and kept on eating her supper, being quiet, which no one noticed.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
"James!" Sirius yelled angrily.  
  
"Wait a second!" James shouted back.  
  
All the Marauders were in their dormitory, trying to prepare for a prank that they had planned only the night before. James had gone into the bathroom and stolen Sirius' shaving cream to use in the prank. Sirius was, of course, mad that they had to use his, not Remus' or James', or even Peter's.  
  
James jumped out of the boys' restroom with his best friend's shaving cream in his hand. He grinned sheepishly.  
  
"But, my friend, we decided to use yours!" He said.  
  
"Not with MY permission!" Sirius retorted.  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"Un-un!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"NO! Now give it back!"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
Sirius made a snatch, but was to slow for James' quick reflexes.  
  
"Stop it, you two. We just won't do the prank." Remus said, tired of their foolish fighting.  
  
"NO! We can't POSSIBLY cancel a prank!" James yelled.  
  
"He's right! Pranks are the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WHOLE WIDE WIDE WIDE WIDE WIDE WIDE-" Sirius shouted, but was interrupted by Remus saying, "We get it Sirius!"  
  
"But it is true! Why would we cancel a PRANK?" James tried to reason.  
  
"Maybe because Sirius is the only one with shaving cream?" Remus asked, looking at the expression on his friends faces change.  
  
"Oh yeah!" James recalled, smacking himself in the forehead.  
  
"So, lets drop the prank?" Remus asked, hope in his thoughts.  
  
"NO!" His friends said together.  
  
Remus sighed. He would never, ever convince them.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
"Lily?" Audrey asked.  
  
"Yeah?" She answered.  
  
Lily and Audrey, plus several other girls were in one of Gryffindor's girls' dormitories. It was 10 o'clock at night, and everyone was fumbling around and trying to get into their bed.  
  
Audrey was lying on her bed, facing Lily's, which was right next to hers.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me about Sirius and his new girlfriend?" Audrey said, a little hurt.  
  
"I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. I know that you like him, so . . . yeah." Lily replied.  
  
"I do not!" Audrey shrieked indignantly. She grabbed her pillow and threw it at Lily.  
  
Lily laughed and threw it back at her friend.  
  
"Oh yes you do!" She teased, grinning at Audrey.  
  
"Nope!"  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"Nooo!"  
  
"Yeees!"  
  
Audrey tossed the pillow back at Lily, who was starting to get on her nerves.  
  
"NO I DON'T!" She yelled, but smiling none-the-less.  
  
The rest of the girls in their dorm shouted, "SHUT UP!"  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
The next day, Wednesday, was a rainy one. This didn't bother James Potter, though. In fact he loved the rain. It was sort of like starting a brand new, cleansed day, free of anything bad. But, of course, that was wrong.  
  
There was always the ever-annoying Leslie, who would never stop getting what she wanted. And there was Voldemort. Always Voldemort.  
  
However, the life of James Potter could be much better. If only he had Lily to hold, to like (A/N-it's not LOVEEE yet!). Lily was at least his friend, which was very good. She didn't seem to hate him anymore, now it was just the opposite. She laughed with him, and talked with him frequently. James was very glad that when he asked Lily to go out with him, that it hadn't ruined their fragile friendship.  
  
Classes that day started off like usual. Nothing huge happened, except for Leslie breaking down crying in the middle of her first class, startling everyone.  
  
At lunch, Sirius was more upbeat and cheerful, if that was possible.  
  
"Siri, man, why are you so . . . happy?" James asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I suppose it's because of the riddance of that Leslie girl." He replied, munching on some chicken wings.  
  
"You dumped her?" James said incredulously.  
  
"Yep," Sirius answered, "How can you be so surprised? You were right, she IS the devil!"  
  
"Glad you think I'm right! Finally!" He said, smiling at his spaghetti.  
  
"You're in love with your pasta, aren't you James?" A female voice said in his ear.  
  
James saw Lily seat herself next to him out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Yep! He definitely has!" Sirius confirmed.  
  
Lily grinned.  
  
"He's so infatuated with it that he can't hear us!" She joked.  
  
James blinked and stopped staring at his spaghetti.  
  
"No! I certainly haven't fallen in love with it! I'm in love with-" James stopped suddenly, realizing what secret he was about to let out.  
  
"In love with who exactly, Jamie-poo?" Sirius cooed, imitating Leslie pretty well.  
  
"AH! Don't you DARE call me that!" James bellowed.  
  
"He was just joking!" Lily laughed lightly, putting a hand on his arm.  
  
"I know! But, yuck! It reminds me of that horrid Leslie!" He retorted, glancing over at the Hufflepuff table to see if she was there.  
  
"Hey! Where is she?" James added, confused.  
  
"Who?" Lily asked, trying to look where James was gazing.  
  
"The devil!"  
  
"She's not there?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Nope. Wonder whe-" James started, but was broken off by an angry voice.  
  
"Wondering where I am?" The gorgeous, but infuriating girl was standing with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Speak of the devil." Sirius muttered under his breath so only Lily and James could hear.  
  
They sniggered. Sirius was the first to speak to Leslie.  
  
"Hello." He said, in a tone that plainly stated that he was bored.  
  
"Why were you talking about me?" She said, getting straight to the point.  
  
"Is that any of your business?" Lily asked, glaring at the curly, brown- haired girl.  
  
"Yes, it is." She responded, taking a good look at Lily.  
  
"No, it isn't." James settled.  
  
Leslie ignored his remark and said to Lily, "You've got what it takes, but you just don't know it."  
  
"For what?" Lily said, looking confused.  
  
"Being the next devil." James snorted.  
  
Lily smiled but still gazed at Leslie for an answer.  
  
"Forget it."  
  
"All right. Now please go away; you're getting on all of our nerves." Sirius said, going back to his lunch.  
  
"Fine. But I hate you for what you did, both of you." Leslie said, indicating James and Sirius.  
  
"What an idiot." The messy, black-haired boy said to Sirius and Lily.  
  
"For once, I agree." Lily grinned.  
  
"That's not the first time you've agreed with me!" James retorted.  
  
"Oh, I think it is." She said playfully.  
  
"No. I KNOW for a fact hat you've agreed with me!" He said firmly.  
  
"Give me an example, Mr. Know-It-All." Lily said, grinning.  
  
"Uh . . .er . . ." James said, trying to think of a time. He just KNEW that she had had the same opinion as him, at least once!  
  
"Never! See?" Lily smirked at him.  
  
"Nooo! I'm still thinking!" He said, pouting.  
  
"You'll be thinking for ages, you know?" She said, smiling at him while he 'thought'.  
  
"Oh come on! There's at least one time!" James whined.  
  
Lily shook her head and said, "Nope!"  
  
"Okay, lovebirds! You're both deranged! Can we go to class now?" Sirius pleading.  
  
Lily blushed. Lovebirds?  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-Oh! That took sooooo long. Okay okay! A day! A whole day! So I hope you dudes liked it! Was it even worth the read??? Probably not.  
  
For the 'I really really hate homework club'- Last questiono!!!  
  
How many teachers do you have? -  
  
4-1 person  
  
6-3 people  
  
7-1 person  
  
8-1 person  
  
9-3 people  
  
10-2 people  
  
Thanks to everyone who responded!  
  
Next question-What is your favourite subject?  
  
I still need suggestions! I'm becoming dumb! AAAHHH!  
  
Please review,  
  
~Carm~ 


	19. Another Time Around

A/N-AH! I'm so incredibly, terribly, very, extremely, unbelievingly, amazingly, really, exceedingly, extraordinarily SORRY! I was going to spare you the details of why I haven't updated in a MONTH, but I can't hold them in any longer:  
  
I was in a play I had to write a 'well developed' story in school (if you're really bored and want to read it, it's under 'HighOnAirGurl' on fictionpress.com) I went to London Homework (EEEEWWW EEEWWWWW EWWWWWWW) Chores and wrapping Christmas presents Birthday parties Parents hogging the computer So on . . .  
  
There you go! My BEAUTIFUL EXCUSES!  
  
Many thanks to:  
  
~Alcapacien-Thank you! You really helped! Please enjoy!  
  
~dancincheerchik-glad you are looving it! Haha! Read and rock on!  
  
~vamperfly-Hello! Glad you read my story! I updated! I DID! I REALLY  
DID! Sorry, little too much air for me! (I get high on air, you see)  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-Hiya! I know exactly what you mean with 'the emails  
sitting in my inbox' thing! Ive got a few myself . . . hehe! Have fun  
in art!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings- did I mention how much I love your name? Probably  
not. Anyway, thanks! Enjoy!  
  
~FoXyRoXiE-hey! I'm very happy that it was worth the read! Hope this  
chappie is too! Why did you give up on your story??? I bet TONS of  
people are mad at you! Hee hee! Enjoy!  
  
~Anna L. Black-Thanks! When's the wedding? Haha! Hope you'll like the  
new chappie!  
  
~Bombshell-do you have any scars from the little toy trucks the kids  
throw at you??? Lol! Thanks and hope you enjoy!  
  
~Atomic Kitten-Math is very kool 8-)  
  
~Crazyinluv-polite answer is a first for you? That's terrible. Thank  
you SO much for your review! I love getting them!  
  
~Sunkissed-Moonlight-Ah! My loyal reviewer! Lol! Thank you so so so  
much for the review! I always jump for joy when you review! And thanks  
for the suggestions! I'll use them! I did in this chappie! I was in  
the play 'Wind in the Willows' which wasn't the best one in the world.  
My short attention span and me almost got me into trouble! Enjoy!  
  
~lghtAngel-thanks! Please enjoy!  
  
~Agloechen-My mission is to go to Turkey! I will succeed! Thanks!  
  
~Anne-Janet-THANKS! Hope you really like this chappie!  
  
~Wolfmoon-im glad it was a wicked chapter! I didn't think it was but  
oh well! Please enjoy this one!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-yes, Leslie did get ditched again! Sucker! Thank  
you so much for the review!  
  
~Jennifleur-hello! I agree; Leslie is very weird! And stupid. But  
luckily there's no hide or hair of her in this chappie! Thankz and  
enjoy!  
  
Read and rock on peoplez!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
James Potter was laying on his bed, in his dormitory, hands behind his head. His hazel eyes sparkled as he stared up at the plain white ceiling. He was thinking of the one and only girl he would ever think of, at this instant, and that was Lily Evans. Every time he thought of her, he just wanted to, well, he didn't really know what he wanted to do. That was his big problem at the moment. He could just think about Lily for hours, not even noticing how much time would go by. James would sit (or lay in some cases) not knowing what to do with himself. What was he going to do, ask her out and make her mad all over again? No way. Not after the steady friendship he had just established with her. James smiled at the idea of her actually talking to him, not yelling her fiery head off.  
  
The dormitory door burst open and in came a joyful looking Sirius. He grinned at James like a maniac, making him wonder what the heck was going on.  
  
"Sirius, man! You're scaring me!" James exclaimed, getting off his bed and backing into the wall.  
  
Of course it was normal for Sirius to smile all day, but this was just . . .freaky. As the expression 'Smile up to your eyes' (A/N-Or something like that!) would be the perfect description for the way the Gryffindor boy looked.  
  
"You'll never guess what I just heard!" Sirius shouted gleefully, bouncing on his bed.  
  
James shrugged and replied, "I have no idea."  
  
"I was well, sorta following . . . you know what I mean, well, anyway-" He started, but was so rudely interrupted by James.  
  
"Sirius! Get on with it!"  
  
"Okay okay! No need to be so barmy! You really need to work on that you kno- " Sirius said, but was shut off, again.  
  
"PADFOOT!" James yelled, making Sirius look fearful.  
  
"Alright! I overheard a conversation between Audrey and what's-her-face," James' fellow Marauder said hastily, "Oh, yes, Lily is her name! And, well, Audrey asked what was going on with you two, you know, you and Lily."  
  
"Yes, Paddie-poo! I know what you meant!" James sighed impatiently.  
  
"Yes, and she said she was VERY, extra GREAT-hey! Don't call me Paddie-poo! Bad memories, James! Bad memories!" Sirius realized, and started throwing his pillow at him.  
  
"Fine! But get on with it, will you? I've got things to do and people to see!"  
  
"Well, at first, Lily was saying that she disliked all of the boys in Hogwarts, and then Audrey started to talk about her cloak and how it was ripping-"  
  
James moaned.  
  
"The main point Sirius!" He snapped.  
  
"Oh, she said she wanted to be more than friends."  
  
"Who?" James cried, gaping at his friend.  
  
Sirius looked oddly at him and responded, shaking his head, "Lily, you idiot."  
  
The famous James Potter huffed and strode out the door, on a quest to find Lily and ask her if it was true.  
  
~~**~~  
  
"No! Absolutely no!" Lily Evans yelled, smiling nevertheless.  
  
Audrey looked at her with a wide grin on her face.  
  
Lily shook her head and said, "No way. I'm not asking out James Potter! NO WAY in never-never land!"  
  
"Why not?" asked Audrey, pouting.  
  
"Why not? It's just . . .just not right! Me ask him?" She answered skeptically.  
  
The two girls were in the Common Room, lounging around on the red velvet chairs, trying to concentrate on the piles of homework, but not succeeding.  
  
"It's perfectly normal," Audrey said, scribbling something in her notebook.  
  
"It is not!" Her friend retorted with a gaping mouth.  
  
"Yes it is! Just simply go up and as-"  
  
A tall shape emerged from the Gryffindor boys' staircase hurriedly. Lily quickly noticed that it was James and hid behind the couch.  
  
"Here comes lover boy," Audrey whispered, dissolving into giggles at the look at Lily's face.  
  
"Lily!" James said happily, approaching her.  
  
"Er, hello James!" Lily said from behind the sofa.  
  
"What are you doing there?" He frowned.  
  
"Um, no reason! I just . . .wanted to be here!" She covered up hastily. She wasn't going to tell him that she was hiding from him!  
  
"Hey, Lily? Can I speak to you in private?" James asked.  
  
Lily nodded and James held out his hand to help her up off the ground. She took it willingly and was shocked to feel a jolt go up her arm.  
  
'Is he electric? Oh no! Maybe he's Voldemort!' The crazy side of Lily thought frantically.  
  
She knew very well that Dumbledore would know when Voldemort was in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
James made his way out of the portrait hole carefully, Lily trailing behind. The corridor outside the frame was so silent that you could have heard a Bertie Botts every flavoured bean drop.  
  
"What did you want to speak with me about?" Lily questioned, looking at James with concern.  
  
He looked at her with his hazel eyes. Her dark auburn hair glistened in the dim torchlight, and her green eyes were staring at his face with interest.  
  
"Uh, Sirius said he overheard you saying something," He said dumbly.  
  
Lily smiled and replied, "I bet Siri-poo has overheard many things I've said."  
  
James ignored the fluttering in his heart when she had smiled. She just didn't get what she did to him. He knew from the start that she was different from everyone else, in a very good way.  
  
He stared at the plain stonewalls that were being illuminated by the torches hanging in the brackets on the wall. He didn't look Lily in the face; it was too hard not to want to spill everything to her.  
  
"James?" Lily asked worriedly.  
  
"Oh!" James snapped back to attention.  
  
"You do want to talk to me in private, right?"  
  
"Yes! It's just that I'm really tired and I keep nodding off." He lied.  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow doubtfully.  
  
"Really?" She said.  
  
"Yes, really!"  
  
"You were saying something about Sirius overhearing me . . ." She prodded.  
  
"Oh yeah! He said that, that you wanted to be more than friends, or something." He said, now gazing at Lily.  
  
Lily bit her lip. How did Sirius overhear that conversation?  
  
"Is it true?" James inquired.  
  
Lily shook her head and said, "No, James. I'm afraid it isn't."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I have to go. Bye." Lily said before she entered the Portrait Hole again.  
  
James looked downcast and slumped against the wall.  
  
"You know, dearie, that she truly likes you a lot," A croaky feminine voice said knowledgably.  
  
The young and handsome Gryffindor Quidditich player looked around for the owner of the voice and found the Fat Lady's eyes upon him.  
  
'What?" He asked groggily.  
  
"She likes you, dear," She repeated.  
  
James laughed and shook his head.  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"I know it for a fact. It was just last night in fact, she was ranting to herself about how you hated her so terribly." The Fat Lady started saying.  
  
"How'd she get that idea?" James said; his forehead furrowed.  
  
"I don't know! I'm not her personal diary!"  
  
James thanked the Fat Lady quickly and went inside the Common Room. He walked up the stairs to his dormitory slowly, pondering on the fact that he supposedly 'hated' Lily. It was so not true.  
  
James fell on his bed, fed up. He missed his mother, who he used to confide all his problems. She had excellent advice of what to do in sticky situations.  
  
He sighed, and fell asleep, all curled up in a ball.  
  
~~**~~  
  
At suppertime, the Great Hall was filled to the top with the students of Hogwarts. The Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, the Hufflepuffs and the Gryffindors were all chatting away at their appropriate tables.  
  
"Have you heard the latest gossip, Lily?" A light brown-haired girl asked excitedly, shoving some Shepard's Pie into her mouth, all the while looking at Lily.  
  
"About who?" Lily replied, picking at some chicken.  
  
"Those two seventh years, Molly and Arthur! They just got engaged! I knew it!" The brunette said dreamily.  
  
"Yup," Lily said, and turned her head back to Audrey, who was staring at the girl that had just talked to Lily with incredulity.  
  
"Celcerity! Is that really true?" She asked the Shepard's Pie girl.  
  
"Yes! I just got the news from Molly! Isn't it exciting!" Celcerity answered her.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and kept on eating. She ignored the conversation that was being conversed across her.  
  
"Hey." Said a voice across from her.  
  
Lily looked up from her food to see James Potter sit down across from her.  
  
"Oh hi!" She greeted warmly.  
  
Sirius, Remus and Peter sat down in the empty spots next to James.  
  
"What's up?" James asked, taking a bread roll from a basket on his left.  
  
"Just the usual," Lily said.  
  
"I know what I want to be when I grow up!" Sirius exclaimed gleefully.  
  
The Marauders and Lily looked at Sirius.  
  
"Really? Now what is that?" Lily questioned him calmly, stabbing a steamed carrot with her fork.  
  
"I want to be a giraffe who eats goat terds!" He said happily.  
  
"What?" James said with a surprised look on his face.  
  
Lily laughed and said, "That's absolutely great Siri-poo!"  
  
Sirius looked at Lily, clearly offended.  
  
"I'M NOT SIRI-POO!" He yelled.  
  
Now it was James' turn to laugh.  
  
"Yeah Lily! He hates being called that. That and Paddie-poo."  
  
"Okay," Lily said, and promised not to call Sirius that again.  
  
Dinner passed fairly quickly, and soon most of the school was filing out through the huge wooden doors. Most headed for their Common Rooms, but some lingered in the Entrance Hall, talking to each other.  
  
Lily and James walked up the stairs together, apparently not noticing all the people staring and pointed at them. Who ever saw Lily Evans and James Potter chatting calmly and happily? Some swore that they were seeing things. One girl even fainted.  
  
"How's your father doing without your mother?" Lily asked, touching on the subject suddenly.  
  
James looked down at his feet and said, "He died when I was six."  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I would have never asked if-"  
  
"It's okay, really," He smiled, "How's your family doing?"  
  
"My DEAR sister is getting married next Monday, to this disgusting man. He seriously is as large as a rhinoceros. And he's purple."  
  
James chuckled. It didn't seem that Lily liked her brother-in-law very much.  
  
"My mum is preparing for the wedding 24/7 and my dad is still working really hard." She continued.  
  
"When are you leaving for the wedding?" James asked curiously.  
  
"Leaving?"  
  
"Aren't you invited to your sister's marriage?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"Not yet. I don't think Petunia would be to happy if I showed up."  
  
"Still! You're her sister, for heaven's sake!"  
  
"I know. But I seriously don't care. I'm where I should be."  
  
"I agree."  
  
The two Gryffindors arrived at the Portrait Hole and the Fat Lady smiled and asked for the password.  
  
"Etalalacoke," James tried, making Lily laugh.  
  
"No, James! It's 'etalocohc'" She said, still holding her side from laughing.  
  
"Yes, dear, it is," The Fat Lady smiled, and the frame swung open.  
  
"We part here." Lily said.  
  
"Yup! See you tomorrow." James confirmed.  
  
Lily smiled and walked to the Gryffindor girls' spiral staircase, while James went the opposite way.  
  
A/N- oh god that took a LONG time. If you're interested in where I got the password, its 'chocolate' backwards. Funny the way your mind works when you're bored! I hoped you liked the chappie!  
  
I really really really hate homework club-  
  
Results from 'what was your favourite subject?'-  
  
Math-2 ½  
  
French-1  
  
Fod (or is it food?)-1  
  
History-1  
  
Art-2  
  
Science (all kinds, I think)-2 1/2  
  
Free period (oh yeah!)-3  
  
L.A. (also English)-2  
  
THANKIES EVERYONE!!!!!  
  
Next questionio (which is an inspired idea from Sunkissed-Moonlight) - What is the grossest food your cafeteria sells?  
  
Thanks!  
  
~CaRm~ 


	20. Hogsmeade and 'The Tube Incident'

A/N-AHHHH! THE MUSHROOM MAN IS STALKING ME!!! Oh ha! Hello! Okay, to the point. That took way too long! Sorry! You don't want the excuses I have, do you? DO YOU???  
  
Utterly thanks to:  
  
~Loony bout Lupin-Thanks! Maybe you should update? Hehe!  
  
~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2-Nasty! Bbq ribs in bread! Sick! Thank you though! Enjoy!  
  
~Jennifleur-More Fat Lady? Hmmm. Did you like her, a lot? I see if I can fit her in the next chappie ;-) Hope you like this chapter!  
  
~Sunkissed-Moonlight-Yes! They do make everything seem so simple, don't they? Thanks tons!  
  
~FiFtH MaRaUdEr ChIk-Your name is cool to spell! It's nice to know you like it! Could you pweety pweeze update your story??? I love it! Thanks! And enjoy!  
  
~Bombshell-Thanks! Oh poor, poor you! Evil children, eh? Haha! I hope you'll like this chappie!  
  
~Pencil Scrapings-Oh goodie! You liked it! That's all I can say for now! Enjoy!  
  
~Agloechen-Thanks! I'm sort of in the process of making them better friends, but we'll see! I hope you'll like this chappie!  
  
~Crazyinluv-Your cafeteria sound AWFUL! I mean, shouldn't the people ask what we actually don't gag on? Thanks though! Enjoy!  
  
~Crazyblonde-Thanks! Hey, I read your story, very well done! I don't usually read H/D fics, but yours is really excellent! Hope you'll like this chappie!  
  
~Harryforeva- Hiya! Thanks for the review! Please read this chappie ;-)  
  
~Dancincheerchik- Thank you! Thank you! Bouncy chicken nuggets! That made me laugh! I guess I'm lucky I don't have them! Mine are always looking like they had just made them, not cooked. Geez, they should know better!  
  
~Diana-It's okay that you haven't reviewed! I'm busy, too. Isn't everyone now? Thank you anyway! Enjoy!  
  
~lghtAngel- Here's another chappie! Hope you're happy! Enjoy! And thanks!  
  
~Anna L. Black-Thank you! I really hope that you'll like this!  
  
~Volume-Wow! Loads of reviews! It was scary! But thank you! I'm glad you like it! You should be 'o2rm' now!  
  
~Tangerine-Speedo- Thanks! You'll adjust to the site, no worries there ;-) I'm honoured to be the first author for you to be reviewing! Haha! I read your bio and, yeah, you're right! We sound alike, sorta! Enjoy!  
  
~Spunky Melon- I love your name! So cool! No no! I don't think I have the wonderful writing skills, I think it's you who does! Your story rocks! Thanks and enjoy!  
  
~Black Slytherin Girl-Nah. You're not gross! I do that too! I like to mix the milk (which is very nasty, mind you!) to the spaghetti and mash in some mashed potatoes. Let the nasty people unite! Haha! Enjoy!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
Lily yawned as she got out of her bed on Saturday morning. The girls' dormitory was quiet since the rest of the girls were still sleeping in. Lily stretched, went into the bathroom and started the water for a nice shower.  
  
After about ten minutes of showering and drying off, Lily combed out her hair in front of the large, ancient-looking mirror, gazing at herself. She never thought that she was pretty at all. She found her smooth red hair as ugly as sin, and her eyes a tad to green. Lily stopped combing all of a sudden. She had stopped her brushing because she had heard an unexpected, soft 'clunk' in the corner of the tiled bathroom.  
  
Lily laid down the worn hair comb on the hard marble tile next to the nearest sink. Her amazing green eyes darted around the room quickly, looking for the source of the noise. She saw absolutely nothing at all.  
  
Then another abrupt 'clunk' sounded again, this time more near Lily. She moved back into the firm wall cautiously, becoming more scared each second. Who knew what was lurking in the castle?  
  
"Who's t-there?" Lily stuttered.  
  
"It's me," A very familiar voice said near her ear.  
  
Lily whipped her head around and replied hesitantly, "James?"  
  
In a blur of motion, James' head appeared in midair, scaring Lily, almost to death. She gave a yelp and fell on the cold, hard floor.  
  
"Don't scare yourself even more, Lily," James chuckled, his whole body appearing suddenly.  
  
A soft, strange cloak fell to the ground behind James.  
  
"How'd you get here? And what in the world is that?" Lily asked him, staring at the unusual piece of material lying in a bunch on the floor.  
  
"Oh! That's just the Invisibility Cloak my father handed down to me," He began, waving at the cloak carelessly.  
  
"Really?" Lily said, obviously amazed, "I heard about those in some book I read lately! It said that they were extremely rare and very well made and-"  
  
"Whoa! What did you eat for breakfast? A dictionary?" James responded, holding up his hands.  
  
Lily snorted.  
  
"No. Now that you mention it, I haven't even had breakfast yet," She said, still sitting on the tiles.  
  
He held his hand out for her to get up off the tiled floor, and Lily accepted it gratefully. She gazed at him with her green eyes, suddenly looking awestricken.  
  
"And why are you here?" Lily asked uncertainly.  
  
"Well, I, er, I just wanted to see you, undetected," He said, and started to grin, "But I guess I blew my cover."  
  
"Okay . . ." Lily said slowly, "Wait! Did you, did you see me take a shower?"  
  
"No! Of course not! Why would I?" James answered hastily.  
  
"Well, with your history . . ." Lily smiled, turning to pick up her brush.  
  
But Lily trusted James. If he said he didn't, then she believed he didn't. Now, on the other hand, if James were to say he ate a llama, she probably wouldn't.  
  
"Oh, shuddup!" James said harshly.  
  
"Oh! Jamie-poo! It's so true! I mean, just how many girls have you gone out with since the tender age of 6?" Lily asked in a high-pitched, flattery voice, very like the one of Leslie Trecas.  
  
James shuddered.  
  
"Please, Lily! Don't do that!" He said in a whiney tone.  
  
"All right, then," She replied sympathetically, walking out of the Gryffindor girls' bathroom.  
  
James picked up his Invisibility Cloak and followed obediently behind her into the dormitory. Lily put away her brush and her wet towel away in a drawer in her small bedside table. James quietly sat down on her creaky, old-looking bed, taking in his surroundings.  
  
He had never been in the Gryffindor girls' dormitories, surprisingly. James wasn't at all surprised by the fact of it being way neater than his dormitory. The boys' rooms were waded with so many robes and towels that you could hardly distinguish the burgundy carpeted floor from the Hogwarts cloaks.  
  
Lily brushed her wet hair away from her eyes. Her hair looked almost brown now, since the water had darkened it. She sat down on the bed beside James, not saying anything at the moment.  
  
Silence was the only thing heard in the dormitory. The rest of the Gryffindor girls were sleeping peacefully, not making a single sound. Why should they wake up? It was Saturday, for heaven sake!  
  
"Oh! I just remembered! It's a Hogsmeade weekend!" Lily exclaimed suddenly, but softly enough not to wake anyone.  
  
"You just remembered?" James teased with a grin.  
  
"Yes! I don't get all worked up about shopping like most girls do!" She retorted, gesturing casually with her hand at the other slumbering girls.  
  
"I see that," He replied, still smiling.  
  
"Who are you going with? Anyone special?" Lily asked, leaning back on the bed comfortably.  
  
"I can't go."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I have detention, unfortunately," James said, with a sad grin on his face.  
  
"What did you do this time?" Lily inquired, jabbing a waggling finger in his chest jokingly.  
  
"Well, I stole Davies boxers and made them a portrait," He said slowly.  
  
Lily burst out laughing.  
  
"That was you?" She giggled.  
  
"Who else would it be?"  
  
"You're completely right! I have to admit, it was an ingenious idea!"  
  
"It was," James grinned.  
  
"It was," Lily echoed.  
  
A movement came from the bed next to Lily's. A grumpy looking Audrey sat up sluggishly and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Lils?" She asked groggily, squinting her eyes to look at both Lily and James.  
  
"Yes?" Her friend answered.  
  
"Oh, is the shower fre-who's that?" Audrey stopped, rubbing her eyes wearily again.  
  
"It's James," James jumped in.  
  
"James Potter?" Audrey managed to squeak out.  
  
"That's me," He smiled at her.  
  
"Oh," She muttered uncomfortably.  
  
"It's okay, Aud!" Lily laughed, "He won't bite!"  
  
Audrey quickly hopped out of bed and walked to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her lightly. Lily and James heard the soft pounding of water against the shower's floor.  
  
"Well. That was odd," James said truthfully in the silence.  
  
"Audrey's not a morning person, I suppose," Lily answered, shrugging her shoulder carelessly.  
  
"I better get to my detention," James said, looking at his watch, "I'm almost late anyway."  
  
"Go then! Don't waste your time with me!" She said with widened eyes.  
  
'I can never waste time when I'm with you, Lily.' James thought as he jumped off the bed, heading toward the door.  
  
He turned back to Lily and said sheepishly, "Uh, can you come down the stairs with me?"  
  
Lily looked at him with a confused expression on her face.  
  
"Sure. But why?"  
  
"The stairs will turn into a tube, since I'm a boy," He answered, smiling.  
  
"Wouldn't that be fun, though?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Lily hopped off her old bed and followed James out the door. The spiral staircase immediately transfigured into an amazing looking stone tube.  
  
James yelled in glee as he flew down the pipe. Lily laughed at his antics but in the meantime, slid on the stone and fell, sliding down the transformed stairs.  
  
She shrieked, expecting to fall on the hard Common Room floor. Instead, at the end of the tube, she landed on something very soft and squishy.  
  
All the while, Lily had had her eyes shut. She opened them and saw James' soft hazel eyes. She blushed and turned her gaze away from his face. She was lying right smack on top of James Potter.  
  
"Fancy seeing you here," He whispered with his popular Potter grin.  
  
"Oh yes," She replied, smiling too.  
  
She rolled of him in embarrassment and stood up. She brushed herself off and held out her hand to James.  
  
He was surprised. Lily offering her hand to him? He inwardly grinned.  
  
James took her hand and stood up as well.  
  
He met her clear green eyes and said reluctantly, "I have to go."  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
"Don't want to make the professor mad!" She said in a mock-disappointed voice.  
  
"Yep! I'm off!" James said as he strode to the Portrait Hole.  
  
He waved to Lily, who was standing alone in the empty Common Room, gazing at him. She waved back and he left.  
  
Lily sighed and fell down in a common red chair by the fireplace.  
  
~~**~~  
  
The weather in Hogsmeade was cold, and snowy, much to the inhabitants' surprise. The Hogwarts students were roaming about, gathering Christmas gifts and stocking up on supplies. The day of Christmas was approaching very fast, making everyone hustle and bustle around for presents.  
  
Lily shivered in the cold and wrapped her Hogwarts cloak closer to her body. The softly falling white snow was going down her neck, making her wet and chilly.  
  
Audrey was with her, chatting merrily and gazing in shop windows. Her long brown hair was covered in white fluff (A/N-a.k.a. snow) and her brown eyes were darting around, taking in the new snow.  
  
Lily wasn't paying any attention to Audrey's pointless chatter. Her mind was on James, who was in detention at the moment. She inwardly blushed as she thought of the 'Incident of the Tube'. That's what Lily had called it, because she was so embarrassed. She was sure that it was absolutely normal for James to have a girl on top of him in the Common Room.  
  
"Lils?" Audrey asked her.  
  
Lily's thoughts snapped back to reality. She looked at Audrey's concerned face.  
  
"Yeah?" She answered.  
  
"Are you okay?" Audrey said looking at her friend with big, brown eyes full of worry, "You're not usually like this."  
  
"I'm fine!" Lily replied, smiling.  
  
"No, you're not!" Audrey shook her head.  
  
"I am!"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
The two Gryffindor girls walked along the rows of decorated shops, quarreling jokingly. Further along the road, they passed a grungy looking bar with an old, cracked, wooden, swinging sign that said 'The Hogs Head'. They both peered on the inside, though a dusty window and saw scary looking people in black cloaks, which were discussing something very loudly.  
  
"-But he said that the fireplace would be raided!" A deep voice grunted hoarsely, taking swig of a yellow liquid.  
  
"You can't raid a fireplace, idiot!" Another man's voice retorted.  
  
"Well, it's what HE said. But he is getting old, all crippled and shrunken- " The first man said bluntly but was cut off.  
  
"He better not hear you say that!" A sharp female's voice said.  
  
Lily turned away from the dirty window and whispered to Audrey, "Let's get out of here."  
  
Audrey nodded and they scurried away from the entrance of 'The Hogs Head'. They walked a few minutes until they came to a stop where many students were milling about. A wooden house with mold and planks hanging off it was sitting on the top of a small hill. Many people, mostly Hogwarts students, where standing by a fence, pointing at it with interest. It was the Shrieking Shack.  
  
"Isn't it freaky?" An unfamiliar voice said behind Lily.  
  
Lily turned and saw a handsome, brown-haired boy with sparkling blue eyes. She judged he was about sixteen years old.  
  
She smiled and replied, "It is pretty scary."  
  
The boy nodded and gazed at the shack again.  
  
"It's said that maniac ghosts live in it, ripping up the place with their own bare, cold hands," He said, being a bit over dramatic in Lily's opinion.  
  
'Too many science-fiction books,' Lily thought, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Oh, that's stupid!" Audrey said indignantly.  
  
The brown-haired boy raised an eyebrow at her and replied, "How so?"  
  
"It just is! First of all, ghosts can't rip anything! They can't even hold a candle! Second . . ." Audrey went on.  
  
Lily stared at the Shrieking Shack. Audrey was right. Ghost couldn't do that much damage. She figured it was some sort of creature, but didn't really care. She slumped down on the snow-covered grass on the edge of the hill. Lily looked around her, bored. Audrey and the blue-eyed boy were still arguing about what tore up the Shrieking Shack. Not Lily's idea of fun.  
  
Something wet and freezing hit the side of Lily's face, sliding down into her cloak. She looked around for the person who threw the snowball, but only saw Audrey and the boy, still chatting, a few Hufflepuffs and two Ravenclaws.  
  
"Hi Lily!" A cheery voice said next to her left ear.  
  
She quickly turned her head but saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. Then she remembered.  
  
"James?" She called uncertainly.  
  
"Yeah?" The voice said.  
  
Lily could hear him smile under the Invisibility Cloak.  
  
She grinned and said in a singsong voice, "Where are you?"  
  
"Right here," He answered and uncovered himself from the cloak.  
  
Lily smiled and patted the ground beside her, mentioning for him to sit. James' hazel eyes twinkled and he shook his head.  
  
"I'm not supposed to be here," He said, "I'm in detention." He winked at her.  
  
"Oh!" Lily said understandingly, playing along.  
  
There was a shuffle of feet and Audrey was standing in front of her, frowning.  
  
"Talking to yourself, Lily?" She asked.  
  
"No, just, er, humming to myself," Lily replied.  
  
She turned her head to see if James had covered himself back up. He was nowhere to be seen. Lily knew he must have been laughing under the Invisibility Cloak. The thought made her smile inwardly.  
  
Lily got up from the soaking ground and said, "Ready to do some shopping?"  
  
Audrey looked at the ground and shook her head.  
  
"Is it okay if I go somewhere with Travis?" She asked Lily with puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Travis. The boy I've been talking with," Audrey said, gesturing to the blue-eyed, brown-haired boy that was sauntering up behind her.  
  
"Oh, sure!" Lily said.  
  
Audrey looked relieved.  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"Welcome," Lily murmured as her friend walked back to 'Travis'.  
  
She seriously didn't mind her going. Audrey hadn't been with a boy in so long anyway. Plus, she could roam around with James if she wanted.  
  
"Lily?" James' unsure voice came.  
  
Lily looked back at the Shrieking Shack, which was where the voice had come from. James stood there, not hidden in his cloak, with his messy black hair and his hazel eyes illuminated in the darkening sky's light.  
  
"Yes?" Lily answered James' call.  
  
He moved toward her in the cold snow, his Invisibility Cloak in one hand. James caught up with her and grinned.  
  
"Need a shopping partner?"  
  
"Yep!"  
  
James grabbed her arm enthusiastically and dragged her down the street, grinning all the way. He turned and looked at Lily with his lovable eyes and smiled.  
  
It was then that Lily was sure that she was the luckiest girl on earth.  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
A/N-Oh! How good of you to read it! I made it long, to make you happy. It was terrible, wasn't it? Please review! You know, I just noticed something! The title of this story is very stupid! Don't ya think? 'Unwanted Duties' **tsk tsk** What WAS I thinking??? I dunno.  
  
For the I Really Really REALLY Hate Homework Club-  
  
Last questionino- What is the grossest food your cafeteria sells?  
  
Fried chicken-1  
  
Bbq pork ribs in bread-1  
  
Chicken leg (with plastic and blood, hehe!)-1  
  
Soggy grilled cheese-1  
  
Cooked but still gooey cookie bars-1  
  
Shrimp poppers-1  
  
Chili- ¼  
  
Potato Soup-1/4  
  
Broccoli-1/4  
  
Cheese-1/4  
  
Bouncy chicken nuggets-1  
  
Pasta with sauce with stuff that cannot be explained ;-) -1  
  
Coleslaw-1  
  
Mushy and Gushy Lasagna-1  
  
Next questionino (another brilliant idea from Sunkissed-Moonlight)- Why do you think teachers ALWAYS cover up half the projection from the overhead projector with another piece of paper?  
  
Thanks!  
  
OH NO! HERE COMES THE MUSHROOM MAN AGAIN!!!  
  
~CaRm~ 


	21. Last Chappie

A/N-I'm so sorry it took so long! This is the last chapter of this story, so I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Thanks to- Everyone!!!!!!!! I'm gonna write a list at the bottom.  
  
And, also, I'm not gonna write anymore. It's sorta become a burden.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
!@#$%^&*()  
  
Dodging through streets and alleyways, Lily and James finally made it to the main road. Students were milling about in the snow, most of them carrying shopping bags.  
  
James looked at Lily with his big hazel eyes and said, "Can we please go to Zonko's first?"  
  
Lily sighed.  
  
"Sure, but only for less than ten minutes," She said.  
  
"Ten minutes? We have to stay there longer than that!" James exclaimed incredulously.  
  
Lily narrowed her eyes and replied, "How can it take longer than ten minutes to go to a store you practically know by heart?"  
  
"It just does," James huffed, heading for a store with a green sign saying 'Zonko's: The Shop With Everything You Need To Prank'.  
  
Reluctantly, Lily followed the black-haired boy to Zonko's, rolling her eyes when he caressed a Dungbomb. When she entered the store, Lily was surprised to see that the shop was so big. It looked small from the outside, but it was enormous on the inside.  
  
"Hey, Lily! Look at this!" James said, waving Lily over to look at a big blue chest filled with tiny green bags.  
  
"What are those?" She asked, looking at the bags in interest.  
  
"Babangs," James smiled, handing one to her.  
  
"What?" Lily said, confused.  
  
"They pop slimy green stuff out at people the owner doesn't like," He summarized with a sigh.  
  
"Hope I'm not a victim," Lily said, laughing lightly.  
  
"Oh, you're not!" James confided.  
  
He then wandered curiously over to a basket full of red candy, beckoning Lily to come with him. Lily rolled her eyes, but followed him none-the- less.  
  
"And what are these?" She asked, pointing to the oddly shaped candies.  
  
"Love Pops," James said simply, picking one up carefully.  
  
"And I suppose they have something to do with love?" Lily prodded on.  
  
"Yeah, they're sort of the opposite of the Babangs," James said unconcernedly.  
  
"So they must let out slimy stuff at people the owner loves?" She guessed.  
  
James shook his head.  
  
"They let out a flowery smell, but you got the idea," He said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
James suddenly sniffed the air and looked surprised for a second. Then he turned away from Lily hastily and started shuffling through some prank materials that has a big sign that said 'SALES'.  
  
Lily frowned as she watched James looked carelessly at the sales. She inhaled deeply and smelt an unfamiliar flowery scent.  
  
"What in the world?" She muttered to herself, still staring at James.  
  
"Seems we have lovers in here!" A voice behind Lily's back said jovially.  
  
Lily gasped and turned to face an extremely plump woman with frizzy blonde hair and gigantic sea-blue eyes. She had a bright, multicolored shirt on that said 'Zonko's' on it in black letters.  
  
"Er, I, er . . ." Lily stuttered, blushing fiercely.  
  
"Who were you here with, darling?" The lady asked, smiling wide.  
  
"She's with me," James' deep voice said from Lily's left.  
  
James seemed to have come up behind Lily, listening in on her and the other lady's short conversation.  
  
The chubby woman's eyes darted to James and she exclaimed, "Jamie!"  
  
"Sandra?" James asked, with his forehead furrowed.  
  
"Yes! Do you remember me, my little Jamie?" The lady said ecstatically, clapping her hands together.  
  
"Of course!" James said, smiling politely.  
  
"Oh, I haven't seen you in years, James!"  
  
Lily inched away from James and the lady to give them some time alone. She saw some interesting materials hanging on a wall at the opposite side of the room.  
  
"My goodness, James! How handsome you've grown! The last time I saw you was such a terribly long time ago!" Sandra said, looking James up and down.  
  
"Yes, it has," James murmured softly, gazing at a bored Lily, "Fortunately."  
  
"What was that, Jamie?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. Just saying how great it is to see you again!" He covered up casually.  
  
James vaguely remembered the plump woman. She always used to come over and have dinner with the whole Potter family, and was well liked there. He had always thought her a bit queer.  
  
"Is that your girlfriend, over there?" Sandra asked, gesturing at Lily, who was seated in a small, torn leather chair, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Oh!" James laughed, "I wish!"  
  
"So she isn't?" Sandra said.  
  
"No, I'm just considered a friend to her."  
  
"But it seems that you love her quite a lot!" Sandra exclaimed.  
  
"I don't know about love, but I do have feelings for her," James answered, unsure of where the conversation was going.  
  
"Well, the Love Pops never lie," Sandra said, nodding her head for no reason.  
  
James sighed. The woman was getting in to private affairs. As he remembered, Sandra had always been nosey, but constantly said that 'it is for your own good'.  
  
"Well, just don't be afraid to take chances, Jamie," Sandra said, and went off to her workstation again.  
  
"Finally free," James muttered to himself, making his way over to Lily.  
  
~~**~~  
  
"Who was that woman?" Lily asked James when they were roaming the streets.  
  
"She used to come over to our house for dinner," James answered with a small smile on his face.  
  
The two Hogwarts students had looked at every shop in Hogsmeade, and were wondering where to go. The snow was still falling all around them, falling onto the thickly layered ground they were walking on.  
  
"I see," Lily said, staring ahead of her.  
  
"Do you want to sit?" James asked, waving his hand at a bench nearby.  
  
Lily nodded and wiped snow off the old bench before sitting down on it. James sat down beside her and sighed.  
  
"Today was fun," Lily said happily.  
  
"I agree!" James replied.  
  
Lily and James were silent as the crowds of joyous students walked past them, chattering cheerfully. James glanced at Lily, whose hair had white, fluffy snow in it. He smiled as her green eyes flickered in his direction.  
  
Lily saw James' hazel eyes look in her direction. Tucking a piece of red hair behind her ear, she turned towards him.  
  
"Hey, Lily?" James asked calmly, not taking his gaze away from her.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."  
  
Lily's eyes widened in surprise as James leaned towards her. When their lips touched, Lily and James both knew one thing.  
  
They were meant for each other.  
  
FINITO  
  
A/N-Thanks for reading this story! All the reviews kept me going, so I'm thankful.  
  
Thanks to- ~aniangel ~Agloechen ~Alcapacien/Quiggles ~kelkelrox ~Senna2 ~slippersRfuzzy ~jennifleur ~LiLy*eVaNs*PoTTeR2 ~bombshell ~Sunkissed-moonlight ~xmagicx ~Liviana ~Loony bout Lupin ~FoXyRoXiE ~Sum1 ~Heather ~crazyinluv ~Swimmerkitti ~lizzy ~SiriusBlackgirl4eva ~kimmerz ~I love guitars ~Goten-Lupin ~Anna L. Black ~EbonyRiddlesaysR+H foreve ~allie kat5 ~maliha ~Summerpony ~Alriadne ~elvencherry07 ~plndrm101 ~crazyblonde ~Abarraine ~Fudge72AH ~hotaruangel ~resilver15 ~goldenhorse ~WolfMoon ~Swabewwy Choco Angel ~Pencil Scrapings ~Cinnamon Sunrise ~Lauren ~Diana ~Day-Dreaming Rhiannon ~Anne-Janet ~Amoeba Queen ~lghtAngel ~PrOwLiNg-WoLf ~Choclairs ~Fantom666 ~vamperfly ~AtomicKittenluver ~dancincheerchic ~zigzag ~Volume ~armeeta ~harryforeva ~FiFtH MaRaUdEr ChIk ~Black Slytherin Girl ~Tangerine-Speedo ~xdevilishxbrittx ~lylmystikelf ~tenniStar514 ~Cocoamo1223 ~haniyyah ~loser-me-ushi ~Volume's Sis ~Lady Flame-er-THAT'S NICE ~Water Freak  
  
And if I missed anyone, SORRY!  
  
Thanks to all in the 'I Really Really Hate Homework Club'. Continue to hate homework! MWAHAHA! Or, continue it in your own stories, but be sure to tell me! I want to check it out!  
  
Little By Little won't be continued either, SORRY!  
  
Toodles!  
  
~CaRm~ 


End file.
